Anyone used Tamura transformers for audio? Was talking to John Peluso who explained they purchased UTC years ago and maintain all of the documentation. Evidently, they will do custom lamination alloys depending on what you want.
Tamura transformers for audio
- Thread starter BluegrassDan
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Help Support GroupDIY Audio Forum:
The signal transformers in older Yamaha consoles were Tamura I believe ,
I do see vintage Tamura transformers on ebay once in a while ,mainly from Japan , very pricey but very high quality , typically speaker output , usually potted in heavy metal boxes too . Reminds me a bit of Partridge ,where high end output transformers had multiple secondary sections which you could connect in a variety of series/parralell ways to get a range of impedences . Interesting to hear Tamura inherited all UTC's paperwork, I/p and maybe some of the machines too by the looks.
I do see vintage Tamura transformers on ebay once in a while ,mainly from Japan , very pricey but very high quality , typically speaker output , usually potted in heavy metal boxes too . Reminds me a bit of Partridge ,where high end output transformers had multiple secondary sections which you could connect in a variety of series/parralell ways to get a range of impedences . Interesting to hear Tamura inherited all UTC's paperwork, I/p and maybe some of the machines too by the looks.
Bi-limboid construction, with four exactly equal coils , I think I just saw a 1200 ohm version of the same transformer on ebay .I see Tamura also do a line of amorphous C core transformers . The great thing about the C core or dual L is your winding four similar coils ,its simpler than a normal single bobbin ,with multiple interleaved Pri/Sec.
I guess the ultimate is winding four bobbins side by side on the same cnc machine, theres a good chance capacities,resistances and inductances of each coil could be very very close, and so maintain excellent balance .
You can see how transformer winding ticks all the boxes for the Japanese ,especially the metalurgical aspect which is a hallmark of their culture for thousands of years.
Ying,Yang
I guess the ultimate is winding four bobbins side by side on the same cnc machine, theres a good chance capacities,resistances and inductances of each coil could be very very close, and so maintain excellent balance .
You can see how transformer winding ticks all the boxes for the Japanese ,especially the metalurgical aspect which is a hallmark of their culture for thousands of years.
Ying,Yang
BluegrassDan said:
Is this a new development? Magnetika had all the UTC design docs, if I remember right. And they were even making noise about repros of some of the classic units not too long ago.
I have a dozen TD-1W's. They are 600Ω-600Ω. Two coils in the Primary and Secondary. They were used as Output Transformers in a quad stereo receiver from the 1970's. That same receiver also had these super cool dual needle horizontal orientation VU meters.
The transformers measure great and sound excellent. I'm keeping them around for an as yet to be planned gizmo.
The transformers measure great and sound excellent. I'm keeping them around for an as yet to be planned gizmo.
EmRR said:
And they still advertise that they own the UTC IP. They state that they still “manufacture a complete line of UTC audio transformers for the recording industry”. Wonder what the minimum quantity is. When’s the last time someone looked into a group buy?
https://www.magnetika.com/commercial
boji
Well-known member
On a lark, I sent Magnetika an email asking about minimum order requirements. I'll be sure to forward any response I get.
last time i checked you could buy 1 ea HA-100-X but it was 400 bucks, with which you could buy an antique one on evilbay,
boji
Well-known member
Got a reply. Short answer: What CJ said.
No minimums, but they admit pricing people out because their current interests are in aerospace.
"Most of the UTC line is now custom manufacture which many in the commercial/hobby market find rather expensive and long lead times."
No minimums, but they admit pricing people out because their current interests are in aerospace.
"Most of the UTC line is now custom manufacture which many in the commercial/hobby market find rather expensive and long lead times."
They should sell the UTC line to someone that’ll do something with it.
coils could be wound, but exact same lams might be a problem, not shape, but the alloy and heat treatment,
the future for nickel lams seems to be in Korea.
the future for nickel lams seems to be in Korea.
I like Tamura transformers I would reap them from some old Ramsa and Yamaha mixer strips [those were the days!]
The little ones are good for small signals .... mics and low amplitude line signals, for example. I like to connect 2x Tamura 'mic input' type transformers in reverse to make quite a decent 'di transformer' on the cheap 8) (series/parallel connecting options)
The larger ones - more like an 'api line output', for use around 600ohms with small step up/down ratios - are great for line amps.
Obviously, I like to combine the pair of Tamura 'mic traffos' in reverse as an 'instrument input' feeding a Yamaha discrete opamp and then to the Tamura 600/600 line output transformer.
Works pretty good!
Also, you can use the Tamura for 'mix bus' type builds no problem - voltage summing mix bus -> Tamura -> DOA -> Tamura
works very well, especially with the Yamaha 80100 DOA (from memory) ..
...
There are also some earlier Tamura 'large frame' matching transformers and inductors which are way cool too. [for a price]
Cheers!
I would reap them from some old Ramsa and Yamaha mixer strips [those were the days!]The little ones are good for small signals .... mics and low amplitude line signals, for example. I like to connect 2x Tamura 'mic input' type transformers in reverse to make quite a decent 'di transformer' on the cheap 8) (series/parallel connecting options)
The larger ones - more like an 'api line output', for use around 600ohms with small step up/down ratios - are great for line amps.
Obviously, I like to combine the pair of Tamura 'mic traffos' in reverse as an 'instrument input' feeding a Yamaha discrete opamp and then to the Tamura 600/600 line output transformer.
Works pretty good!
Also, you can use the Tamura for 'mix bus' type builds no problem - voltage summing mix bus -> Tamura -> DOA -> Tamura
works very well, especially with the Yamaha 80100 DOA (from memory) ..
...
There are also some earlier Tamura 'large frame' matching transformers and inductors which are way cool too. [for a price]
Cheers!
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