Stupid question: Where do you find the steel transformer plates...

[hoxuanduc]

that secure the transformers to the box? Right now I tie them down with plastic tie!

BTW, I have two extra Plitron toroids that I'd like to sell. Anybody interested? I'm from Philadelphia, PA.

Thanks,

Duc

Edit: They are 225VA 18v-0-18v, two primaries & two secondaries.

[AR]

Tried to email, but couldn't get through. I am interested in purchasing the Plitron's. How much?? AR

[randytsuch]

Hi,
If ar does not buy the Plitrons, I am interested too.

Randy

[Peter Daniel]

Originally posted by hoxuanduc
that secure the transformers to the box? Right now I tie them down with plastic tie!

Actually using ties may be much better idea than still plates, for better sound.

[Nuuk]

This morning while looking for something else in a local 'pound shop', I saw some circular rubber discs. They are sort that you connect to a shaft and then to your electric drill for sanding purposes.

Anyway, the are just the right size to go over or under most torroidal transformers and, as Peter says, there would probably be some benefit in losing those metal plates!

[PassFan]

I used 1/8th aluminum or brass and a hole saw to make my own. Hole saws come in different sizes and you can buy thin rubber matting from a hardware store and cut it to size as well.

[Peter Daniel]

I read this recently from an article found here: http://www.soundstage.com/maxdb/maxdb111998.htm

The faulty four: rubber, plastic, nylon, steel

Several years ago, Michael Green told me "When you are trying to make a good-sounding audio component, the more rubber, plastic, nylon and steel you can get out of it, the better it will sound." I immediately went home and removed the rubber pads that were on both sides of the toroidal transformer in my amplifier. Unbelievable. The amp sounded unquestionably better without those pads. Leaving the transformer resting on the chassis is very dangerous, however. A later experiment raised the transformer on a sand-filled baggie, and the sound improved again. A little later I found a very small inner tube and used it as an air cushion under the transformer -- another improvement over the sand bag. In my moded CD player, I replaced the nylon circuit-board standoffs with brass screws -- a significant sonic upgrade. In fact, Michael Green recommended brass as the replacement material for the rubber, plastic, nylon and steel if possible. The resonance characteristics of brass are the most musical of any metal -- which is why musical instruments with metal in them usually employ brass. Aluminum is the second choice if using brass is not possible.

[Panelhead]

Originally posted by randytsuch
Hi,
If ar does not buy the Plitrons, I am interested too.

Randy

Randy,
What are going to build? I wish I had held off, I ordered a pair from Pltron on Thursday. But these here would be perfect for an Aleph X. At least perfect for my current thinking of how to build an X.
The pair I ordered are 160 VA, 15 volt. These are for a GainClone. The 4-5 week wait for Plitron is seems to be a good thing, it gives time to build the box and decide on initial details.

George

[JOE DIRT®]

your all gonna laugh but I have used hockey pucks for isolation in many applications....they are cheap but have solved alot of resonance issues especially in a industrial environment

[Nuuk]

I read this recently from an article found here: http://www.soundstage.com/maxdb/maxdb111998.htm

A very good article and a subject most often overlooked in building decent hi-fi. Don't know if I totally agree with everything that is written there though. My GC's use plastic in their construction and sound wonderful. Perhaps the argument against plastic was more to do with mounting components than case materials.

Peter, like you, I have noticed how much transformer mounting affects the sound of the GC's. In fact, I would now say to anyone serious about building hi-fi to build some GC's even it is just to have a test-bed that so clearly demonstates what affects the sound quality.

As regards the comments on monoblocks, you could just as easily get the same problems in a stereo amp unless you used a torque wrench to tighten down the screws holding the PCB's or chips etc. However, I would agree that replicating everything for each monoblock is very good practice.