A new source for cheap toroidal PTs?

[LeftyStrat]

Has anyone purchased transformers from these guys:

https://www.antekinc.com

Check out this:

https://www.antekinc.com/details.php?p=72

300VA

325V .45A
6.3V 4A

For $40!

Is this for real?

[cbass]

Well I know that it is cheaper to manufacture toroidals that standard PT's.

So it might be possible

[LeftyStrat]

Well I know that it is cheaper to manufacture toroidals that standard PT's.

So it might be possible

Yeah, but it seems every source I found charges a premium for high voltage ones typically used in tube amps. An equivalent Plitron costs more than $300.

[soma_hero]

Yeah they're popular for hifi builds. I made a chip amp with one, and recently got one for a gibson clone build. Cheap cheap, but the quality is outstanding!

[cbass]

Yeah they're popular for hifi builds.

Thats why they're so expensive

[Luthierwnc]

I've built two Dumbleators using the 0-260/280 50VA version. Works great, quiet, cool to the touch and, in this case, exactly the right height for a 1U app. Having two heater taps is nice for relays. Thumbs up for light-duty builds -- can't comment on power tube uses. Skip

[LeftyStrat]

Well I just ordered one. I will report back when I get it.

[katopan]

People are using them for cheap builds with great sucess over at the Wattkins forum.

[Cliff Schecht]

I love their stuff. It's beefy, stays cool and is super quiet. I put an AX7 maybe 1" away from the PT and that amp didn't have any noise problems. The best part is the price of course! They make a PT that is great in an Express.

[renshen1957]

Has anyone purchased transformers from these guys:

https://www.antekinc.com

Check out this:

https://www.antekinc.com/details.php?p=72

300VA

325V .45A
6.3V 4A

For $40!

Is this for real?

Hi,

I've purchase a toroid power amplifier (would power a Twin Reverb and with reserve power) from antekinc through Ebay.com.

Excellent value, overbuilt, and well worth the price and more paid for it.

Very low EMF radiation.

I haven't tried a Toroid Output transformer, yet. Maybe for a Hi-Fi build.

For a good value in EI Transformers, Edcorusa.com offers power and output transformers at a reasonable price, too. M6 Steel, wound with the virgin copper magnet insulated wire (UL standards). I will be buying from them now that Hammond has gotten expensive for their Classic Formers.

Best Regards,

Steve,

PS Hammonds filament and other small step-down transformers I have recently purchased have a "Made in China" sticker on them. I don't have an issue with some Chinese products, but I would expect lower prices for said items or at least not a made in North America price.

First Rant of the New Year.

[VacuumVoodoo]

40$ for a toroid PT is cheap.
No protective screen between primary and secondary winding.
No external GOSS magnetic shield.
Rather poor load regulation (for a toroid PT) of 8.5% says they made savings on copper and allowed ca 4A/mm^2 current density against industry standard 2.5A/mm^2. One goes toroid because it easily allows load regulation of 5% and better. This puts their claim of "heavier wire gauge and lower copper losses" under heavy scrutiny.
Because of the above I'm out.
But I give them thumbs up for testing isolation at 4kV.
You get what you pay for.

[Paul Fawcett]

Has anyone purchased transformers from these guys:

https://www.antekinc.com

Check out this:

https://www.antekinc.com/details.php?p=72

300VA

325V .45A
6.3V 4A

For $40!

Is this for real?

I have used this transformer with great success in a 4x6L6 Dumble-ish kind of build and will soon be doing so again. With SS recto and typical bias (and somewhat power hungry 6 tube preamp) I end up with about 425VDC B+, no sign of thermal stress of any kind. Incidentally, I built this amp in the US for 60hz 120VAC, but ultimately rewired it and shipped it to Switzerland, and it is working fine also at 50hz/230VAC.

EDIT: Not sure if it matters, but I should mention that in my amp I am using only one of the 6.3VAC taps, as the preamp tubes are on regulated DC from a dedicated tranny. Note that the 6.3VAC taps are 4A *each*, not total.

[katopan]

Experience of others that I've read is that the regulation isn't as good as other transformers. But in the applications where the HT winding is nicely oversized for what you're using in the amp, they work fine and run very cool. On paper technically more PT than you need, but cheap and they do the job fine.

[passfan]

40$ for a toroid PT is cheap.
No protective screen between primary and secondary winding.
No external GOSS magnetic shield.
Rather poor load regulation (for a toroid PT) of 8.5% says they made savings on copper and allowed ca 4A/mm^2 current density against industry standard 2.5A/mm^2. One goes toroid because it easily allows load regulation of 5% and better. This puts their claim of "heavier wire gauge and lower copper losses" under heavy scrutiny.
Because of the above I'm out.
But I give them thumbs up for testing isolation at 4kV.
You get what you pay for.

A couple of models higher up have the features you list and come in around the 50 to 60 dollar range.

[LeftyStrat]

I received the transformer. Seems pretty heavy, I was hoping for a bit more weight savings over a traditional transformer. But I plan on using it in my next build.