Chinese-Clone Audio Transformers

[OneRoomStudio]

i feel like america culturally has lost sight of the basic idea that people are an investment, and usually a good one. this is true across the political spectrum

Having worked at more than one Fortune 500 US-based industrial company myself, I whole-heartedly agree. "Innovation" (people and time) used to be something US companies invested in. Over the last few decades, cost-cutting and myopic focus on short-term profitability have decimated our research and development departments. Share holders run the show now, and all they want are quarterly returns.

 

[Iristone]

I'd hope someone would publish some measurement results. IME the biggest problem with many smaller component manufacturers in China is a lack of published data.
The transformers themselves could be good, especially if they are willing to release their datasheet. All the good Feilo and 797 mics have got Chinese transformers in them, after all.
There are two types of companies in China: one is state-owned (such as 797 Audio); these typically make necessities such as medicine and electrical supply in order to keep them accessibly priced, and the workers typically work in better condition and receive more pay/welfare. The other is private companies, and the government will support small companies and hi-tech companies to some degree. The hi-tech companies can be VERY well-paying, whereas the smaller companies may have subpar working conditions.

 

[MidnightArrakis]

I'd hope someone would publish some measurement results. IME the biggest problem with many smaller component manufacturers in China is a lack of published data.
The transformers themselves could be good, especially if they are willing to release their datasheet. All the good Feilo and 797 mics have got Chinese transformers in them, after all.
There are two types of companies in China: one is state-owned (such as 797 Audio); these typically make necessities such as medicine and electrical supply in order to keep them accessibly priced, and the workers typically work in better condition and receive more pay/welfare. The other is private companies, and the government will support small companies and hi-tech companies to some degree. The hi-tech companies can be VERY well-paying, whereas the smaller companies may have subpar working conditions.

[the biggest problem with many smaller component manufacturers in China is a lack of published data] -- What I have noticed over a long period of time in my dealings with Chinese manufacturers is that both their datasheets and their corporate philosophies are set to divulge as little information as is possible.....while DEMANDING that you relate back to them EVERYTHING about yourself, your design criteria, your product parameters and what type of milk you had for breakfast!!! But, ask some Chinese company what the thickness or type of some sheet-metal part is and their response back to you will be, "NO CAN DO"!!!

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[MidnightArrakis]

Your model looks great. Are you using Solids?

-grego

[Your model looks great] -- THANKS!!! You should see the ones I've created for CineMag, Lundahl and Beyerdynamic. Wanna see???

Not only that, but.....my personally-created "Mechanical Detail & PCB-layout" drawings for these transformers make all of these manufacturers' datasheets look like they were done by a first-grader using an "Etch-A-Sketch"!!!

[Are you using Solids?] -- YEPPER!!!....."SolidWorks Premium". Legit, too!!!.....(OUCH!!!).....

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[OneRoomStudio]

[Your model looks great] -- THANKS!!! You should see the ones I've created for CineMag, Lundahl and Beyerdynamic. Wanna see???

Not only that, but.....my personally-created "Mechanical Detail & PCB-layout" drawings for these transformers make all of these manufacturers' datasheets look like they were done by a first-grader using an "Etch-A-Sketch"!!!

[Are you using Solids?] -- YEPPER!!!....."SolidWorks Premium". Legit, too!!!.....(OUCH!!!).....

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If you're ever feeling extra generous, it would be incredibly useful to have those docs in the Technical Documents section!

 

[Somkereki]

This is really why the Chinese industry is more successful than the others, because the support goes to the right place. Excuse me if I'm rude, but the US system cites an old Hungarian proverb: "The dog shits where there's already a pile!"

 

[Somkereki]

>> I recently created a 3D CAD-model of a JENSEN transformer for a small project I am working on and I needed some additional and obscure mechanical details in order for me to complete my model, so I contacted their Technical Support for the information I needed. Even after several contacting attempts, my messages/requests went unanswered. However, after sending yet another message to their Technical Support that included a comment of mine stating "Is JENSEN even 'JENSEN' anymore?", I then >> IMMEDIATELY << received a response back from RADIAL Engineering with everything that I needed!!! Hows abouts dem apples???..........

Here's my 3D CAD-model of the JENSEN "JT-MB-DPC" microphone-splitting transformer:

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I congratulate you too! I'm already a 69-year-old electrical engineer and sound engineer, but I can't stop (like drug addicts ) My favorites are good audio transformers. It is especially true for those used in condenser microphones, but also for the input of mixers. Further success ! My oldest son used to be a support engineer for Solid Edge Hungary. So I already ask him for such tasks. I've been designing printed circuit boards with the DOS-based Tango program for 30 years, because I'm so used to it that even if I wake up from my sleep at night, I still know the key commands.

 

[FunkyTek]

Similar but opposite, Somkereki. We are the same age. My first engineering contract was in the 70's.
But I am from the opposite perspective, since my work (of the last 40 years) has been in semiconductors, so my tools have always been UNIX-based.
My layout experience is almost all been for integrated circuits and their packages.
I am now coming up to speed on PC Windows based tools and doing PCBs. I did do some PCB design in the 80's, but I was using internal tools at Tektronix and using their in-house PCB fab.

 

[Walter66]

If someone needs a chinese copy of WE 197A for 120C preamp output, well here it is:
http://www.zuoshi.com/goods-1260.html

Unfortunately, I'm not adventurous enough to go for this $500 experiment.
But if one gives chinese people enough money, they can handle things well and produce excellent replicas.
So why not, original WE 197A is unobtanium.