[L0rdGwyn]

I think we're all on board with the idea that tube amps give us the right kind of distortion even if we don't really understand it. I think the advent of solid state active loads, regulators, and really good rectifiers has made a huge difference. I think the golden age of tubes was also the golden age of transformers. Unlike tubes, whose secrets and metallurgy are either lost or outlawed, transformers are incredibly well understood. It's just that so few companies are making them anymore. You can get really nice ones but they are incredibly expensive. My output transformers were almost 800 EUR for the pair. If you wanted to make a commercial amp with dealers, distributers, etc. you'd probably multiply that by 4. Granted, you would get a better price when ordered in bulk but still, transformers are expensive!

Yes, the number of companies gets fewer and fewer by the year. I think I will eventually make my own, but the cost of entry is high, mostly in terms of space. Storing huge spools of magnetic wire of various gauges, core laminations of various sizes (which are very hard to buy in DIY quantities, mind you), bobbins of all sizes, and a coil winder, it is a lot of room to give up. I lust more after transformers than tubes nowadays. Tubes are easily acquired, good transformers (especially custom ones) are not!

These are the transformers going into my next amp, 49% nickel cores wound by Dave Slagle, 2W, 7K:100ohm / 32ohm for my HY69 amplifier. A set of 49% nickel core interstage transformers to match will go in the amp, which is on its third iteration, now with a separate chassis power supply.



I've had good experiences recently with Monolith Magnetics, and a new player (at least to me) the Audio Feast, who specifically deals in Finemet cores (equivalent to Monolith Magnetics' "nanocrystalline" cores), who wound some very nice line output transformers for my DAC. Recently, I have been getting custom mains from Toroidy in Poland, who do a very nice job.

 

[Isaacc7]

Yes, the number of companies gets fewer and fewer by the year. I think I will eventually make my own, but the cost of entry is high, mostly in terms of space. Storing huge spools of magnetic wire of various gauges, core laminations of various sizes (which are very hard to buy in DIY quantities, mind you), bobbins of all sizes, and a coil winder, it is a lot of room to give up. I lust more after transformers than tubes nowadays. Tubes are easily acquired, good transformers (especially custom ones) are not!

These are the transformers going into my next amp, 49% nickel cores wound by Dave Slagle, 2W, 7K:100ohm / 32ohm for my HY69 amplifier. A set of 49% nickel core interstage transformers to match will go in the amp, which is on its third iteration, now with a separate chassis power supply.



I've had good experiences recently with Monolith Magnetics, and a new player (at least to me) the Audio Feast, who specifically deals in Finemet cores (equivalent to Monolith Magnetics' "nanocrystalline" cores), who wound some very nice line output transformers for my DAC. Recently, I have been getting custom mains from Toroidy in Poland, who do a very nice job.

I’ve got Monolith Magnetics on my push pull amp. I know it’s dangerous to “drink by label” but I had heard nothing but good things about them so I went with them for my final PP amp (I think…). Tomas was impressed enough to switch to them for amps going forward. Well never know how his SE amps with those would have sounded

 

[Isaacc7]

Yes, the number of companies gets fewer and fewer by the year. I think I will eventually make my own, but the cost of entry is high, mostly in terms of space. Storing huge spools of magnetic wire of various gauges, core laminations of various sizes (which are very hard to buy in DIY quantities, mind you), bobbins of all sizes, and a coil winder, it is a lot of room to give up. I lust more after transformers than tubes nowadays. Tubes are easily acquired, good transformers (especially custom ones) are not!

These are the transformers going into my next amp, 49% nickel cores wound by Dave Slagle, 2W, 7K:100ohm / 32ohm for my HY69 amplifier. A set of 49% nickel core interstage transformers to match will go in the amp, which is on its third iteration, now with a separate chassis power supply.



I've had good experiences recently with Monolith Magnetics, and a new player (at least to me) the Audio Feast, who specifically deals in Finemet cores (equivalent to Monolith Magnetics' "nanocrystalline" cores), who wound some very nice line output transformers for my DAC. Recently, I have been getting custom mains from Toroidy in Poland, who do a very nice job.

Oh, I have heard of his volume controls but not his output transformers. I shudder to think what those might have cost lol. Anyway, I won’t continue to drive the thread off topic. I do love this stuff though

 

[JTbbb]

Arrived today. No bargain of the month for sure, but they are lovely.

If anyone is looking for a pair very similar to these drop me a PM and I can give you his business details. He doesn’t use flea bay.

 

[L0rdGwyn]

I’ve got Monolith Magnetics on my push pull amp. I know it’s dangerous to “drink by label” but I had heard nothing but good things about them so I went with them for my final PP amp (I think…). Tomas was impressed enough to switch to them for amps going forward. Well never know how his SE amps with those would have sounded

Monolith make excellent transformers, the tradeoff is...they are freaking huge!! 2A3 amp I built for Zach M was an absolute monster with a mains transformer, two filament transformers, interstage, and outputs. And Finemet cores, so even bigger. But in terms of measured performance, they are top notch, the distortion of that amplifier is insanely low. Also has flat bass down to about 12Hz which is also astonishing for a single-ended transformer.

Oh, I have heard of his volume controls but not his output transformers. I shudder to think what those might have cost lol. Anyway, I won’t continue to drive the thread off topic. I do love this stuff though

They cost what you'd expect to pay for any high end OPT, similar to Monolith. I also have one of his AVCs, and there is no going back to a resistive pot once you've heard one.

If anyone is looking for a pair very similar to these drop me a PM and I can give you his business details. He doesn’t use flea bay.

Those are immaculate, nice find.

 

[whirlwind]

If anyone is looking for a pair very similar to these drop me a PM and I can give you his business details. He doesn’t use flea bay.

Those look killer....enjoy those beast

 

[tholt]

If anyone is looking for a pair very similar to these drop me a PM and I can give you his business details. He doesn’t use flea bay.

Those are in as nice condition as I've ever seen! Nice get on those legends

 

[JTbbb]

Those are in as nice condition as I've ever seen! Nice get on those legends

I have these in at the moment nib ‘62 cup getters. Am thinking of letting them go.

I have these going in next, I think they are new ‘62 cup getters.

 

[Toonartist]

Posted these in the Aegis forum but probably makes more sense posting here

I bought a pair of Cossor 807/VT60a from my regular seller and after dispatch, received an email from them advising they may have sent an incorrect tube and to let them know of that was the case. Anyway, turns out they had and I’ve let them know but… just wanted to ask if anyone knew if the difference between these two. I’ve seen the internals on normal brown base but not with white ceramic.

Any difference sonically? Waiting to hear back about replacing it!

Here's a pic of the incorrect tube

And here’s a pic of the correct one,

 

[Isaacc7]

Posted these in the Aegis forum but probably makes more sense posting here

I bought a pair of Cossor 807/VT60a from my regular seller and after dispatch, received an email from them advising they may have sent an incorrect tube and to let them know of that was the case. Anyway, turns out they had and I’ve let them know but… just wanted to ask if anyone knew if the difference between these two. I’ve seen the internals on normal brown base but not with white ceramic.

Any difference sonically? Waiting to hear back about replacing it!

Here's a pic of the incorrect tube

And here’s a pic of the correct one,

The vt60 does not sound like any other 807 in either of my amps. I don’t have that particular ats25 but I do have a wide range of other 807 tubes. Every different manufacturer tends to sound different in any case but the vt60 sounds like a different family. YMMV etc.