Audio Transformers 101

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When I still worked for a radio station, they used in some cases consumer CD players equiped with a 1:1 output transformer, to obtain a balanced output. (The output of a CD player is already pretty high.)
To make the output 'short circuit proof', they added a 22 ohm resistor between the output and the primary winding of the transformer. Together with the output impedance of the driving circuit, this relative high source impedance resulted in increased distortion.
My tests showed that a higher source impedance driving a transformer significantly increases transformer distortion.
So to make things 'short circuit proof', it is better to add a resistor after the secundary winding!
(And drive the transformer from a low impedance.)
While you're correct about driving the transformer primary from a low source impedance (less than 10% of the transformer's primary DC resistance is the point of diminishing returns), there's a caveat. An output transformer may have considerable distributed capacitance (effectively in parallel with primary) and it can destabilize the driving output stage. Using the series resistor on the primary prevents the driver from experiencing the effect at near-Mhz frequencies. A better technique is to use a ferrite bead or parallel L and R on the primary side (3 uH and 39 ohms is common). A ferrite bead with an impedance around 50 ohms at 1 MHz usually works well ... and the impedance of either method at audio frequencies is near-zero! Jensen may still sell the JT- OLI output isolator, which winds the inductor on the body of the resistor.
 
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In this specific case (a CD player) the output impedance wasn't even near zero, so an extra resistor in series with the primary winding only could have made things worse.
 
In my DIY audio journey I have now arrived at the point of selecting input and output transformers for a couple of projects. I have found that several different types are regarded as "fine to use" but I would like to know a bit more about the "why" and the implications, before just blindly following the advice. I hope by asking a couple of (probably very simple) questions I will gain just enough knowledge to satisfy my needs - the information previously provided in this thread is no doubt very valuable but most of it is very much above my current level.

I'm also asking these questions from my pretty limited frame of reference - I'm only going to use the equipment at line level in my own studio.

The reference project I would like to use is the D-LA2A:
Specified input transformer on PCB silkscreen: Sowter 4383 (1:4.1 600/10K)
Specified output transformer on PCB silkscreen: Sowter 8940 (3:1 5K/600)
Alternative input transformer listed in BOM: Edcor WSM 600/15K (1:5)
Alternative output transformer listed in BOM: Edcor WSM 15K/600 (5:1)

From the D-LA2A support thread I learned that Edcor 600/10K and 10K/600 would also work. I have been looking at the portfolio of UTM as well and they have some options that should work too.

The questions I have are:

What would be the difference when substituting a 600/10K 1:4.1 input transformer with a 600/15K 1:5 specimen? I guess the output signal is amplified by about 25%, but are there any other implications (like noise) to consider?

Same with the output; original is specified for 3:1 so when using a 4:1 or 5:1 transformer instead I guess the output signal is being attenuated more? Again; other implications to consider?

The Edcor WSM series is using "grain oriented steel" in the core, while Sowter (and other options like UTM) advertise they are also using Mumetal - are there any technical implications other than the subjective "sound" that the different materials induce? Are there differences in expected behaviour when driving the different materials with a hot signal?

Thanks very much in advance - I am sure that this information will help me (and probably others) in understanding the implications in audio transformer selection!

Best regards, Alex
 
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