What transformers to run your mix through

[alien25]

Hi Members of Group DIY,

i ve heard about the practice to run a mix from a digital mixing console through a " NOS " transformer to give it bit more " analog " sound before the master recording.

I wonder if anybody has any experience with doing so and what kind of transformer i would have to look for to start experimenting myself.

Best regards, Alien 25

 

[PermO]

Look here;

https://www.facebook.com/51xAudio/

This might be what you are looking for.

I think he's on GDIY also.

 

[alien25]

Hi Perm0, thanks a lot for you help, i think he is offering what i am looking for !

Kind regards, Alien 25

 

[TwentyTrees]

You'll find Volker (Silent:Arts)'s 51X White Market thread here:

https://groupdiy.com/threads/51xaudio-by-silent-arts.39570/

His stuff is great.

 

[alien25]

Hi Twenty Trees, thanks for your reply,

i asked him to build one of his transformer-boxes, i am very keen for the sound of the transformers.

Kind regards , Alien 25

 

[TwentyTrees]

You're welcome! Enjoy.

 

[JohnX]

I also purchased one from Volker and I love it. I selected his model with Neumann transformers in it. (His is the screenshot of a 51xAudio Instagram post) I have about six different ones, each with very different tonality. Four of them that I made myself. I really enjoy using these, not only on my mixes, but I also often run my overdubs through them as well.

 

[PermO]

I like your paintjobs, especially the one that looks like a solid block of Jade.

 

[JohnX]

I like your paintjobs, especially the one that looks like a solid block of Jade.

Thanks. That one was a Hydro dip. I was trying to make it look like this Japanese pottery that is called Kintsugi - they fill the cracks of the broken pottery with gold leaf to imply that there are no mistakes.

 

[My3gger]

I have about six different ones, each with very different tonality. Four of them that I made myself. I really enjoy using these, not only on my mixes, but I also often run my overdubs through them as well.

Other small details are really nice too.
At least one transformer is 600:600, did you ever have troubles driving them with unknown outputs? We made a few tests with Edcor WSM 600:600 driven by NE5534 and similar output stages, they never sounded better, often worse. Maybe we should try better (worse?) transformers and make sure driver is capable of cleanly driving 600:600.

 

[JohnX]

did you ever have troubles driving them with unknown outputs?

The only thing I really been using them on is line level output stuff. Either as the last point in my mixing chain or just as an insert when I’m doing overdubs.
There’s a pair of Lundahl transformers in the small purple box that are 10k:10k, I believe. (I could be wrong) That one has actually become a client favorite.
There’s a pair of tiny UTC transformers (they cost about $9 each) inside of the green box. That box distorts really easily but if I pull down the gain right below the distortion point, it sounds kind of awesome. I use it in its nastiest mode on my synthesizers. I also put a switch on that one because I found two other outputs would give me this horrible, Lofi signal that had most of the treble removed. I have used that often, especially on pre-recorded drum loops.

 

[alien25]

Hi JohnX,
it is very interesting to learn that different transformers color the sound in different ways.
Ans your transformer boxes look very beautiful.

Kind regards, Alien 25

 

[svyet]

I've had some good results running tracks and mixes through a Neve RNDI-S. The transformers inside are not NOS, so they aren't super colored, but they will still open things up a little and give a nice "sheen" - I would say it's probably subtle enough even for mastering. It's a nice versatile DI that you can run instrument and line-level stuff into. I bought it for those reasons. All of that to say, you can try running mixes through a pair of the same DI's if you have some lying around already that can take line level, then decide from there what you feel like you are missing.

 

[alien25]

Hi svyet,
thanks a lot for your reply. I ve ordered a "#TRANSFORMERBOX" from Volker with Neumann transformers, but maybe we end up using
different transformers like JohnX including a NEVE RNDI-s .
Kind regards, Alien 25

 

[JohnX]

Hi JohnX,
it is very interesting to learn that different transformers color the sound in different ways.
Ans your transformer boxes look very beautiful.

Kind regards, Alien 25

Thanks. I am sure that you will get great use out of Volker’s box. That one is one that I have only used on mixing. It’s so clean that I usually don’t bother using it for overdubs. For those, I usually use the more “brutal” boxes.

 

[AlgoRhythms]

I use old transformers for color devices in mastering, usually 600:600 ohm. I add a 600 ohm resistor to the secondary terminals which help flatten frequency response and ringing. Of course, sometimes you want the transformer to behave nonlinear so a bypass switch on the resistor is useful.

There is a better way to terminate for absolutely best response but not necessary for a color box.

 

[JohnX]

I add a 600 ohm resistor to the secondary terminals which help flatten frequency response and ringing.

I’m pretty new at this and I’m gonna guess that this is a total noob question but I have heard this term “ringing” with regard to transformers before, but I don’t actually understand what it is referring to.
Would you please be so kind as to explain it?

 

[AlgoRhythms]

I’m pretty new at this and I’m gonna guess that this is a total noob question but I have heard this term “ringing” with regard to transformers before, but I don’t actually understand what it is referring to.
Would you please be so kind as to explain it?

An un-terminated transformer can have rising high end frequency response and increased harmonic distortion due to a mismatch source/load impedance. Terminating the output terminals with a resistor can fix the mismatch impedance and restore a flat frequency response.

But a flat response isn't always what you want if you're using the transformer as a color device.

 

[CJ]

WE 111c

 

[kags]

My buddy, Barry Rudolph, wrote a nice blog post about using transformers for color. He consulted a few manufacturers for the article and posted some schematics and wiring diagrams. https://www.sonarworks.com/blog/learn/transformers