Japan famous tranformers

[Latti]

Hi everyone,

I'm new in this platform and I would like to ask if any of you has information about the famous Japan audio transformators? regarding the iron core and windings technique? Tango, Tamura etc.
All information and help are very welcomed!

 

[Latti]

for example, this is a tangoo transformer, has anyone come across this?

 

[emrr]

I have seen very little, if any.

 

[Latti]

Thanks! Probably the "secret" is in the iron alloy (perhaps higher nickel content), the winding can be made traditionally. I'm still looking........Of course, if I have knowledge, I will share it

 

[Latti]

This is how I wind, for example...this is the secondary winding of an amorphous transformer.

 

[Moby]

Hi everyone,

I'm new in this platform and I would like to ask if any of you has information about the famous Japan audio transformators? regarding the iron core and windings technique? Tango, Tamura etc.
All information and help are very welcomed!

I don't think you will find some info about those type of transformers here. Hey are mostly used in Hi-Fi (audiophoolery). I don't want to say they are good or bad, but they are used in some other type of gear.

 

[capacitorless]

I'd be interested in any Tamura GA80xx/xxx info! I have a PM2000 channel strip that has one of them on the mic input. It would be cool if they can be used for color somehow

 

[Script]

Tamura as a company and/or company name still exists. All sorts of transformers, chokes, and power xfmr for broadcast, industry etc

Old tamura for audio show up quite regularly over here, not sure though what's usable or good. And not cheap at all !! They were indeed often, but not exclusively, used in hifi -- high quality though, back in the heydays of Japan's alleged leading role in hifi and audio, when the yen was so expensive that there simply was no overseas market for things (who would buy an amp in the 1970/80 that cost USD 5000 or more ?). So models for export (different product numbers) needed to be spec'ed down -- some considerably.

Anyway, if you find info on what you are looking for and need help with the Japanese language, there are at least two people (if not more) around here who might be able to help.

 

[Latti]

Thank you very much for your comment, it was truly an outstanding and unique appreciation of the mentioned transformers, very rarely you can only get information about them in relation to the materials used. The material of the core certainly counts, but the insulation and technological steps used are also important. I think that what is exceptionally good does not matter if it is expensive...

 

[Script]

Well, as I said, I don't know that much about Japanese transformers.

And when I see some Japanese vintage xfmrs go for an equivalent of more than USD150 per piece, I am definitely no longer interested, look elsewhere, or start thinking 'solid state'.

[Opinion]
But I must say that Japanese hifi gear from the 1980 does sound pretty good. Some image there for sure. Of course there's more to it than the ( output to speaker) transformers -- and maybe they just tried to make typical 1980s recordings sound halfway decent, haha, who knows. And, yes, those 20kg+ hifi bricks do indeed use now vintage iron.
[/Opinion]
_____

Anyway, GA80080 ( is it overall good by today's standards ? ) was used in some Yamaha mixers/console on output. And there were several Japanese mic transformers too. Tamradio had 600:600, 10k:10k and 600:10k -- and there's more.

Maybe a good start would be to identify which transformers are worth looking further into (there are quite some xfmr-savvy people around here) and, more importantly, what kind of transformer you actually need/want.

Tango/Tamura product catalogue should have hints on what core materials are used.

 

[Tubetec]

Theres a few Chinese companies doing recycled hitachi metglas cores now , I have a couple I'm waiting to try .
I also got a few Amcc32 cores but didnt have any luck getting bobbins for them , I did make a former from wood and perspex and wound a few bobbinless coils but didnt progress much further on it .

The hallmark of good transformers seems be to do with the interleave , on something like Partridge you'll often see multiple primary and secondary sections, a combination of series and parralel wiring gives a range of impedences . The Japanese transformers like Tango have these secondary windings brought out seperately , its a bit like the Williamson transformer design principle , they also tend to have heavy metal screening cans .

I did get a single mic input transformer of the GA type from an old Yamaha bass amp I scrapped , it was used backwards in that model to deliver a DI output . I used it on a preamp I made from a cut down channel strip from a massive 3000 series console , the mic amp is DOA based and even by todays standards its very very good , even better sounding once all the VCA garbage is trimmed off and in the bin . I rigged it with a direct unbalanced out from the DOA and a balanced out via a pair of regular op amps . I used it as a spring reverb recovery stage with the transducer wired balanced into the step up transformer , worked a treat , was probably a 2000 ohm transducer

 

[Script]

It just came to mind. Sansui made transformers too. But maybe just rebranded.

 

[Latti]

I also used amorphous cores, they are very good at reproducing the details when I make a transformer from them. You have to size the coils a little differently.

.. thank you all for your opinions and help...

 

[Latti]

I am currently making a couple of amorphous output transformers, if I can and if anyone is interested, I will post measurements.

 

[Tubetec]

Will it be signal or speaker level ? what core materials will you use ?

 

[Latti]

It will be an output transformer, it will work on a high voltage, approx. 900V output to speaker. Metglas or similar amorphous iron, high purity Elektrisola wire and thick Nomex insulation..... It's okay if it's expensive (although I don't have much money) but it has to be good... if it's not suitable I'll try a new one because it's difficult I make a compromise.

 

[cyrano]

Maruni, anyone?

 

[Script]

Hm. Doesn't ring. Yields furniture and car parts. Example ? Speaker ?

 

[cyrano]

I happen to have two transformers of that brand (in one box), destined to drive electrostatic headphones. Big, bulky and with a fixed EQ circuit.

Haven't figured out what I would use those for. Can't find anything about the company either, just some pics of the headphones. Those must have been fairly popular (in Japan only?) at a certain time, judging by the number that survived.

I also have a pair of Audio-Technica electrostatic headphones with a transformer box. The Maruni's are way bigger. That AT is also unknown for the internet.

 

[13engrsapper]

I've got some of the PM1000 input transformers here. Some GA Tamara things, iu think there are 5 floating around along with the guts of a PM1000 strip. I think I may throw the transformers up on the test rig and see how they behave.