Focusrite Blue 330/315 transformers

[phild]

Hello,

This thread will be roundly ignored, I'm sure but..

I'm thinking of putting input and output transformers on a Focusrite Blue 315 unit. Does anyone here with earlier versions of this unit know what is being used inside?
Are they proprietary Focusrite or perhaps Lundahls?

Are model numbers visible?

big-time thanks!

[Cellotron]

Phil -
Just opened my Focusrite 330 mk1. There were no brand markings on the transformers - I have a feeling they were proprietary to Focusrite.

I think your best bet is to get in touch with Tony Marra at Thermal Relief Design in Las Vegas - http://www.thermalrelief.com - as I believe he has done similar mods for others.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

[phild]

Originally Posted by Cellotron

Phil -
Just opened my Focusrite 330 mk1. There were no brand markings on the transformers - I have a feeling they were proprietary to Focusrite.

I think your best bet is to get in touch with Tony Marra at Thermal Relief Design in Las Vegas - http://www.thermalrelief.com - as I believe he has done similar mods for others.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

This question meant opening up the box so I really appreciate this, Steve!

I spoke to Tony 2 weeks ago and he cautioned me that the original i/p xformers are no longer made. I think he said they might be torroidal?
He couldn't remember who made them off the top of his head but I'd still like to try (aka waste my valuable time and someone else's..) and source some out somewhere..

Thanks anyway...
Do you like the sound of your 330?

[Cellotron]

Originally Posted by phild

This question meant opening up the box so I really appreciate this, Steve!

I spoke to Tony 2 weeks ago and he cautioned me that the original i/p xformers are no longer made. I think he said they might be torroidal?

Yup - from the looks of them they are.

Do you like the sound of your 330?

I've just started using it in projects but have definitely been digging as a very different sounding alternative from my other choices (API 2500, Pendulum OCL2). It definitely gives a "sheen" to things as soon as you plug it in with upper mids coming forward, but the compression is very clean and musical sounding. Ergonomically I like the fact that it's 100% recallable and that you can dial in very low ratios (with choices of 1.2:1, 1.4:1, 1.7:1, 2:1, all the way up to 20:1) and really long attacks (all the way up to 100ms) with it.

The few things that bugs me in the design is that you can't run it with channels unlinked, that there's no true hard bypass, and that the sidechain external tap is input only (instead of the more usual send/return). I'm thinking I want to just mult from my DAW to the side chain key input with a dedicated send that I can use a digital eq on to really shape what it keys off of - definitely there's been times that I want to really HPF what it keys off of so that it lets more kick thru - I should get this set up shortly which I think will really improve its versatility.

What's really cool sounding on it is the makeup gain - when you push it up you can get a clean unveiled yet "transformery" saturation that can really help for giving some density to a mix and dealing with requests for "loud."

Overall while I wouldn't want it to be my only compressor - I'm really happy to have it as an addition to the rack - and with my other two compressor options I feel I have bases for these chores pretty well completely covered now (although once in a while I contemplate getting a VariMu option as well - just haven't found one that I would think would get used that much relative to my other options - and I've demoed Manley and Thermionic Culture).

Best regards,
Steve Berson