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Originally Posted by Radiance  This does not make sense...generaly speaking a transformer is on the input and output of a device (sometimes intestage as well) and does not care whether the circuit is an EQ or a compression circuit.What you're really saying is that somehow most EQ's you've heard had transformers in them you did NOT like and somehow most compressors had transformers you DID like... |
Actually part of my reason for saying this is due to a balancing mod I did for a pair of API550M's that I have. The original units were unbalanced in & balanced out with API's 2520's. After putting some very expensive Lundahl transformers on the input to balance the input I've noticed that the bass & low mids aren't as tight or clean as the the original transformerless unbalanced input.
Also people here seem to be preferring the sound of the Manley Massive Passive's unbalanced output in order to bypass the output transformers.
In my very untechnical way of explaining why this could happen (for the API 550M's at least) is that the transformers are adding a slight amount of harmonic distortion (some actually find this nice). So when the low end is boosted you're effectively bringing out these harmonics by boosting the lower frequencies & perhaps the phase shift of the EQ also messes with the harmonics even more?
On the flip side it's mellowed out the high end somewhat, while it's not as clean & focused, it definitely sounds smoother which is often preferred on the high mids/high frequencies depending on what's required of the EQ for any given track. Ideally I'd like to keep the high end of the transformers & the cleaner/tighter sound of the transformerless input. Not sure how that could be done transparently though...
I'll also test out the Massive Passive transformer & transformerless output on the demo unit I've got in at the moment. I'll report back on my findings here after I've had some time to thoroughly review each unit. The Mini Massive I've got in also has 3 output options iron,vintage & transformerless so I can also report my findings on these as well.
The good news is that the Buzz Audio REQ-2.2 Mastering Version with Elma switches will be arriving this week so I'll really focus on reviewing that unit thoroughly.
More soon...
Matt
Probably just a personal taste thing