What's up with OEP?

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CurtZHP

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Messages
634
Location
Allentown, PA
I noticed that the OEP website no longer exists, and whatever web presence they had seems to have been rolled into Carnhill.co.uk.

I was trying to find out if anything changed regarding the A262CAN shield can that they provide for their transformers.

I just ordered a couple transformers and cans from Newark.com (apparently the only US vendor for OEP).  I've ordered several of these over the years from Newark, and every time I bought shield cans, they included the bottom plate.  This time around, there were no bottom plates in the package.  Contacted Newark, and the rep tells me there's no bottom plate for that item.  I tell him that, not only have I gotten bottom plates before, but every other OEP vendor in the world includes a bottom plate, as depicted on their sites.  (Newark's site, for some reason, only depicts the can itself.)  They do not offer the plate as a separate item either.  After I give him this response, he writes back and suggests I contact Newark tech support.

:mad:
 
ruffrecords said:
I did not know the OEP site had gone.

RS also do OEP - does RS operate in the US? They certainly include the bottom plate if their web page can be believed:

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/audio-transformers/2106469/

Of course Newark is just Farnell in disguise. Farnell shows the can without the base and charges more than RS too.

Cheers

ian

If you look closely at the picture, where it shows the can from the bottom, you can actually make out the bottom plate tucked up in there.  Look for the pin holes.
 
Ordered some of the cans from Farnell UK before Xmas and they came without the plate. Spoke to Farnell who said they werent sure if the plate was being supplied anymore.
So contacted OEP who were very apologetic and said yes, the plate should have been supplied and sent me some direct.

So the ones Newark got from OEP were probably from the same batch that Farnell UK got.
 
Walrus said:
Ordered some of the cans from Farnell UK before Xmas and they came without the plate. Spoke to Farnell who said they werent sure if the plate was being supplied anymore.
So contacted OEP who were very apologetic and said yes, the plate should have been supplied and sent me some direct.

So the ones Newark got from OEP were probably from the same batch that Farnell UK got.

That's good to know.  How did you contact OEP?
 
rackmonkey said:
The Carnhillification of all the UK transformer manufacturers rolls on.

Are there any left that Carnhill hasn’t bought up?

There are still quite a lot of small independent transformer manufacturers in the UK and many of them make audio transformers. None of them is/was as prominent as the ones Carnhill acquired but maybe that is why they are keeping a low profile.  ;) Most tend to be family run businesses so if there is no offspring willing to take on the business when the owner retires their only option is to sell it. Of course, audio is only a tiny fraction of the transformer market so many of them will be of no interest to Carnhill. Carnill is owned by John and June Hall who also live near Oxford where OEP is based. John is now 73 so maybe maybe he will sell the lot to the Harmon empire?

Cheers

Ian

 
CurtZHP said:
That's good to know.  How did you contact OEP?
Carnhill Transformers Ltd t/a OEP
Tel: +44 (0)1865 855085
Fax: +44 (0)1865 855075
DDL: +44 (0)1865 855098
E-mail:  [email protected]
Web:  www.oep.co.uk
Address: Unit 5, Oxonian Park, Langford Locks, Kidlington, Oxfordshire, OX5 1FP
 
ruffrecords said:
John is now 73 so maybe maybe he will sell the lot to the Harmon empire?
I doubt the now Samsung-owned Harman conglomerate would be interested in the audio xfmr business.
But Beh....er may be. I believe he would appreciate owning a brand that has so close links to Neve.
 
Update:

OEP promptly responded.  Said they will send me the bottom plates, and also said they will contact Newark to straighten them out as far as what's included with the shield cans.
 
Have any of you guys tried Vigortronix?  Near as I can tell, they are an OEP knock-off.
Look just about identical.  I seem to remember reading somewhere that one of their designers used to work for OEP.
 
Newmarket said:
How about these not that far from myself in Sussex ?
https://www.stevens-billington.co.uk/

Never heard about Stevens Billington before, but the transformers sure look good.

I bought some Lustraphone clone transformers from Cyril Jones(Raindirk) and the transformers look pretty similar to the Stevens Billington even the wiring and wiring colors, I don't know if there's a connection there but physically look pretty similar.

Anyone used Stevens Billington transformers before or has any info?
 
CurtZHP said:
Have any of you guys tried Vigortronix?  Near as I can tell, they are an OEP knock-off.
Look just about identical.  I seem to remember reading somewhere that one of their designers used to work for OEP.

Yes, Vigortronix and OEP transformers look exactly the same I even though they were both produced in the same factory but re-branded differently. But I have no info on those also
 
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