Are these mic splitter transformers any good?

Jimbo · 18th January 2012

I'm considering buying a 16 channel, transformer-based, mic splitter. The transformers have the following specs:

Frequency Response: +/- .18 dB 20 Hz - 20 kHz @ 0 dB input. Total Harmonic Distortion: .16% @ 20 Hz @ 0 dB input. .0075 percent @ 1000 Hz @ 0 dB input. Maximum Input Level: +11 dB @ 1 percent THD @ 40 Hz.

How does this compare to the standards (Jensen, Cinemag, etc)? Different manufacturers base their specs using differing standards.

Do these look pretty good/acceptable?

Thanks!

Jim

Jim Williams · 18th January 2012

What seperates Jensen from the rest is phase linearity. That's what people pay for, the performance. In that regard, there is no substitute.

tINY · 18th January 2012

dB(what) for the distortion specs ?

With a linearity of about 0.25dB in the audio range, I don't suspect there will be a big issue with the phase linearity - if the loading at which those measuements were made are like you plan to use them.

-tINY

Wavebourn · 19th January 2012

Looks like nice transformers, but what about ratio? It is what they are needed for, except symmetry. Do they have a shield between primary and secondary windings? Some transformers look nice when 1:1 and no shield between windings, because they have quite big capacitance between them while having relatively high loss inductance.

Jimbo · 19th January 2012

More info:

-1:1 turns ratio microphone
bridging transformer
- features dual Faraday
shields for ground isolation
- enclosed in a mu-metal case for magnetic shielding.

"Faraday Shields"???
I guess that's good. It sounds like a contraceptive.

Bill@WelcomeHome · 19th January 2012

saturation is an issue with cheaper transformers with smaller cores. Performance may look good at 1000 hertz, maybe not so good at 100 hertz. Like Jim says, for some of us there is no substitute for Jensen. But the budget doesn't always support Jensen, then you have to go fishing. It does make sense to have at least a few 'golden' channels though. We had a snake built by Whirlwind, a triple split, and half the channels were Jensen, the other half Whirlwind.

18th January 2012	#1
Jimbo Lives for gear Joined: Oct 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 2,518 Thread Starter	Are these mic splitter transformers any good? I'm considering buying a 16 channel, transformer-based, mic splitter. The transformers have the following specs: Frequency Response: +/- .18 dB 20 Hz - 20 kHz @ 0 dB input. Total Harmonic Distortion: .16% @ 20 Hz @ 0 dB input. .0075 percent @ 1000 Hz @ 0 dB input. Maximum Input Level: +11 dB @ 1 percent THD @ 40 Hz. How does this compare to the standards (Jensen, Cinemag, etc)? Different manufacturers base their specs using differing standards. Do these look pretty good/acceptable? Thanks! Jim __________________

19th January 2012	#4
Wavebourn Lives for gear Joined: Aug 2006 Location: Walnut Creek, CA Posts: 2,065	Looks like nice transformers, but what about ratio? It is what they are needed for, except symmetry. Do they have a shield between primary and secondary windings? Some transformers look nice when 1:1 and no shield between windings, because they have quite big capacitance between them while having relatively high loss inductance. __________________ Most wires and parts do in fact sound exactly the same. --Ethan But sounds of 1 meter and 1 kilometer of the same wire are totally different --Wavebourn Can I add that many bands sound better when they are 1Km away compared to 1 Metre! --Matt Syson

19th January 2012	#6
Bill@WelcomeHome Lives for gear Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 4,185	saturation is an issue with cheaper transformers with smaller cores. Performance may look good at 1000 hertz, maybe not so good at 100 hertz. Like Jim says, for some of us there is no substitute for Jensen. But the budget doesn't always support Jensen, then you have to go fishing. It does make sense to have at least a few 'golden' channels though. We had a snake built by Whirlwind, a triple split, and half the channels were Jensen, the other half Whirlwind. __________________ "We have a situation where somebody has learned that 'tape' sounds good. Tape doesn't sound good. Tape sounds like crap. But sometimes good stuff gets put on tape." "Putting crap to tape...sounds like crap." Show business: we're all here because we're not all there. Resistance is not futile. It is voltage divided by current. "I do not think that the wireless waves I have discovered will have any practical application,..." Heinrich Rudolf Hertz

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18th January 2012	#2
Jim Williams Voiding warranties Joined: Feb 2004 Location: beautiful Carlsbad, CA Posts: 10,054	What seperates Jensen from the rest is phase linearity. That's what people pay for, the performance. In that regard, there is no substitute.

18th January 2012	#3
tINY Gear Guru Joined: Jul 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 10,230	dB(what) for the distortion specs ? With a linearity of about 0.25dB in the audio range, I don't suspect there will be a big issue with the phase linearity - if the loading at which those measuements were made are like you plan to use them. -tINY