Value for money transformers - Zorro

Proudly presenting... 

Value for money power transformers - Zorro Transformers

In this turbulent times, where times are bad, jobs are scarce, pay increment is puny, bonus is shaky, funds for leisure or pleasure will be eliminated or reduced significantly. We totally understand, and therefore, we introduce this super value for money transformers for the sake of all the DIYers out there.

These will be considered as our Level 0 products. They are better than your run of the mill, of the shelf transformers with those shiny low grade cores. Of course, they still cannot compete with our Level 1 and above transformers. Still, they are made with very decent materials and can be considered as audio grade transformers.

Zorro Power Transformers

• 100W EI H50 0.5mm U$39
• 100W EI H14 0.35mm U$45
• ~2.3KG

• 150W EI H14 0.35mm U$53
• 180W EI H14 0.35mm U$66
• 220W EI H14 0.35mm U$73
• ~ 3.9KG

• 130W EI H50 0.5mm U$47
• 150W EI H50 0.5mm U$50
• 150W EI H14 0.35mm U$60
• ~3.3KG

• 266W EI H50 0.5mm U$80
• 280W EI H50 0.5mm U$85
• 350W EI H50 0.5mm U$105
• 350W EI H14 0.35mm U$111
• 380W EI H14 0.35mm U$124
• ~6KG

Features

- DuPont high temp bobbin
- 0.75mm copper foil electrostatic shield / ground
- Single or dual primaries allowed
- Secondaries - 4 sets only, 5 sets (depends on complexity) for higher power version 
- Higher power / higher voltage - please email us  
- Add at least 15-20% of VA reserve to cater for losses and lower temp operation 

Transformer Ordering Notes, due to power factor considerations:

• For high voltage B+
• Apply at least 1.5x (150%) of intended load
• 2x is recommended for high fever audiophile use
• Say 200mA DC is required, assume 300mA minimum when multiplying with the AC voltage for VA calculation.

• For low voltage DC filament supply
• Apply at least 2x (200%) of intended load
• 3x is recommended for high fever audiophile use
• Say 3A DC is required, assume 6A minimum when multiplying with the AC voltage for VA calculation.

Zorro Baby Power Transformers:

• 85W EI H50 0.5mm (black, better than white type) U$34
• 85W EI H14 0.5mm (black, better than white type) U$39

Features 
- End bells, about 1.75KG
- Unloaded voltage may be higher
- Electrical specs are as follow (fixed specs): 

Type1:
Pri:
- 0-220-230V
Sec:
- 0-230-250V 0.15A
- 0-5V-6.3V 2A
- 6.3V 2A
- 6.3V 2A

Type2
Pri:
- 0-220-230V
Sec:
- 180V-0-180V 80mA
- 6.3V 5A
- 3.15V-0-3.15V 4A

Type3
Pri:
- 0-220-230V
Sec:
- 180V-0-180V 80mA
- 6.3V 5A
- 6.3V-0-6.3V 2A

B+ Zorro Chokes (H50/H14)

• 10H 0.2A U$20
• 10H 0.5A U$44
• 10H 0.25A U$28
• 5H 0.2A U$21
• 5H 0.3A U$28
• 15H 0.2A U$28
• 5H 0.25A U$24

Zorro Transformers Purchasing Tips:

• Purchase more units to lower down the shipping charges
• Economical express shipping for Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and China
• EMS for all other countries - fast, safe and efficient, slightly pricey but worth it
• Items will be shipped from Shenzhen, China warehouse
• Payment - pay for transformer costs first, and then pay actual shipping when orders are ready to ship.

 

History 

In order to lower the cost of Zorro transformers to such level, we have to move the Zorro transformer manufacturing to China, subcontract it to a big transformer factory to mass produce it for us in batches. In order to maintain the quality, we do not simply use any factory but one with the technical capability and quality.

• Experienced contract manufacturer transformers used in home, telecommunications, mechanical, industrial electronics and electrical appliances. 
• Manufactured by technicians with over >10 years of experience
• Manufactured using automatic winding machine, with high torque automatic alignment machine and automatic lamination insertion machine
• Equipped with various electrical measurement equipment to ensure product meeting specifications and quality
• Equipped with vacuum impregnation machine and automatic controlled temperature oven for baking transformers
• Stocked various high temp bobbin and various casing for EI41 to EI133 sizes, with H50, H14, Z11 and various other transformers cores. 
• Guaranteed pure copper magnetic wires are used. All comes with 1 year warranty.

Enjoy!

J&K Audio Design
1/26/2017

Repair Transformers

What have we signed up for this time?

According to the user, an input transformer from a Russian made tube audio compressor is damaged and needed our help to repair this transformer.

The matter of transformer repair is, sometimes, you do not know what you've got until you opened up the transformer case to see what is inside. This time, we had a headache reverse engineering the transformer (an input transformer for repair)! Words alone just can't explain how much work it has taken us on working with the delicate wires, and recording down every detail of the design, till rebuilding it to original form. (I actually regret taking on this transformer repair project! It is totally not worth the time spent versus our puny charges to repair them! Still, a commit is a commit, we will do our best and finish the job with the best effort put in.)

These are the pictures of the transformer being sent for repair. It is covered in wax and we've no idea what is inside yet.

Everything was still fine for the repair transformer job, until we see this:

The winding is such mess! I suspect maybe the poor winding method is what killed it at the first place. Cross-wiring will weaken the point where the cross happens and causing a short after use. Some parts of the wires look oxidized too, perhaps the vacuum impregnation was not done good enough to prevent it from damage. 

Anyhow, you can see that we've tags to indicate all the little details of the design to ensure no mistakes are made when we rebuild the transformer to ensure this transformer restoration job is done properly. (We're getting too old for input transformer repair job. Eyes are failing us. We might need to stop doing so one day.) 

These are the ultra thin wires we took out from the input transformer! Imagine the work involved to remove it without damaging it!

 

Till then, I need more Vitamin A or carrots to help with eyesight, and perhaps being more selective on what we repair, LOL. So, please do not take it personally if we reject your case as some transformers are not worth the repair. :P 

J&K Audio Design
1/24/2017

Power factor correction

Dear beloved customers, 

Please take "power factor correction" into consideration when ordering your power transformers and chokes to avoid having sagged power supply or core saturation. 

Size the VA accordingly according to simplified rules of thumb as following: 

• For high voltage B+
• Apply at least 1.5x of intended load
• 2x is recommended for high fever audiophile use
• Say 200mA DC is required, assume 300mA minimum when multiplying with the AC voltage for VA calculation.

• For low voltage DC filament supply
• Apply at least 2x of intended load
• 3x is recommended for high fever audiophile use
• Say 3A DC is required, assume 6A minimum when multiplying with the AC voltage for VA calculation.

Please ask if you do not know what or how to order to avoid under estimating the VA size due to the power factor correction required.


Best regards,
J&K audio Design

Power cord versus power transformers

How much have you spent, or are you going to spend on your power cords? How much percentage is that, compared to your power transformer? Be honest to yourself. Don't tell me the answer. 



We've seen many that spend thousands of dollars on their power cord like nothing at all. The price paid for all the power cords connected to the CD player, preamp, power amp, power strips, and etc, would have cost more than a Toyota Camry in U.S.A. 

For those that have yet to do so, please consider upgrading the power transformers of your existing equipment first, than to lavish on such high end power cords. I'm not saying that they are snake oil. They do work, very effectively, and I've witnessed many. What I'm saying is, upgrading the power transformers would have much higher ROI than just upgrading the power cords. 

Just spend a little more, once, on your power transformers, and it will bring you a long, long way down the road. Power cords can be easily upgraded, fuses can be changed with snap of fingers (I don't even want to go down the road with fuses) power transformers are not.

There are more than just wires in a power transformer. There are a few important factors to consider in a power transformer: 

* junk grade, low grade, high grade, and extreme high grade low loss core
* lousy made in you know where, street side magnet wires, industrial grade magnet wire, and very high grade OFC/PCOCC magnet wires for audio use
* transformer design - night market seller grade, beginner grade, factory grade, boutique grade 
* winding method - no rules friend noodle type, better but still not satisfactory winding method, industrial grade, and true audiophile grade, with stringent alignment, magnet wire tension, proper insulation, impregnated type
*  finishing - no finishing, simply spray paint, industry grade transformer use paint and oven backing 
* etc that I will not go into detail

Once you do all the above right, and pay the right price for a properly made one, you will discover how much more it will give you in return, for that very little investment you made, compared to U$1-10K power cords. General generic power transformers made are not even over U$1K, mind you. You want it to sound special, go for special quality components! Audiophile components are just limited to capacitors, resistors and/or wires only, the power transformers and chokes are part (very important one too) of them.

Good ones will cost you. I will be honest with you. It will not be cheap, but it is totally worth it. You can shy away. It's your lost, not ours. Period.

It just saddens me that I often see people skimp on their power transformers, and spend all their monies on expensive power cords. Well, good luck to you, you fools. Don't complain when you discovered (at the end) why your creations do not sound as good as it could be. 

For the wise ones, congratulations, you've chosen the right path, and welcome to J&K world, go for the best, and be rewarded with the best results.

First rant for year 2017, mind me. I'm a foolish old fool, seeking my way towards audio nirvana. :P

J&K Audio Design
1/15/2017

2017 Chinese New Year Closure

2017 Chinese New Year Closure

We will take orders but there is no production or shipping from 22th Jan'17 to 6th Feb'17. If you need to have your projects delivered urgently, please do so early.





Happy Chinese New Year! 

Thank you!

J&K Audio Design
1/6/2017