Agree
For back-to-topic, I've looked deeper into the subject
Background:
In the good old days, until ~1995, the Monacor FGA-40 was a nice and easy general-problem-solver, often used in studios with XLR's or jack sockets attached. No, not for ultra-high-levels, but still plenty, and easy to push for some "transformer sound". Phase-correct enough for smpte timecode. I've even used it as bridging input transformer in several prototypes. This one was mechanically characterized by that the plastic tube it was mounted in was split along the length of the cylinder, i.e. axially. I did not weigh it at the time, but it was lighter than its successor -
Then Monacor changed or "upgraded" supplier, and the FGA-40 was now substantially heavier BUT also showed massive cutoff and heavy unnice saturation distortion at low frequencies even at moderate levels. Yes, I complained a lot, but was told I was holding it wrong. Needles to say that I gave up on this part as usable. This model can be recognized on that it had it's body tube split radially, in the centre of and across the width of the containing "tube". Weight was some 104g. Primary and secondary inductance ca. 350-450mH @1KHz. Freq response some 100 to 150KHz, big +8dBbump around 80KHz (200 Ohms source, 100K load, 0dBu)
Now, recently, I came across a picture in a Monacor ad where it looked like the FGA40 housing was split axially - so I needed to check if it was back to usable. Got some of them, and right, the design changed back to axial split. And weight is lower than the bad version, some 66g. Primary and secondary inductance ca. 3.5-4.5H @1KHz. But the best is:
Freq response @+10dBu (200 Ohms source, 100K load) is 17Hz to 80Khz, +5dB bump around 50KHz (begging for R/C)
I get no visible distortion of sinus waveform here at +10dBu@17Hz (!!) - can't be bothered to break out my HP333A for a precise measurement, this being a transformer.
My suspicion is that they changed the core material onto something that gives higher AL factor at lower frequencies, and whatever they used in the "heavy version" didn't have this property.
So I'd consider it worth trying - and at the price - ca. 10EUR for two transformers - it's no big investment. But make sure what version you get, the change is rather new, and old part is so bad that stocks of that may last long..
Note that there is a "high-quality" version also, named "FGA40-HQ" - this is the SAME transformers as the regular version, both for good and bad versions, mounted in a fancier metal housing. Alu, so no magnetic shielding though.
All this for bridging inputs
..While you're at it buying from this strange prosumer electronics company, perhaps check out their LTR110 - usable as output transformer up to 0-perhaps-+4dBu, even has a tertiary secondary for where feedback is needed, and has a really pretty personality when treated right..
/Jakob E.