Caveat emptor! The threaded mounting bushing was completely loose on these input transformers, so there wasn't any way to tighten the nut down. When pulling a little tension on the threaded grommet to get it to stay put, the bottom of the transformer can popped right off.
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I bought transformers from Brian at middle of the last year (ordered at January).
It seems Covid lockdown ruined them.
Sowter seems to be part of Carnhill group now...
"Companies House data show Brian Sowter and others resigned as directors on 28th February 2020 and on the same day June and John Hall (both of whom are directors of Carnhill) were appointed directors of Sowter. Looks like Carnhill is swallowing them all up."
See the company logo:
SOWTER AUDIO TRANSFORMERS WORLDWIDE SHIPPING
It seems Covid lockdown ruined them.
Sowter seems to be part of Carnhill group now...
"Companies House data show Brian Sowter and others resigned as directors on 28th February 2020 and on the same day June and John Hall (both of whom are directors of Carnhill) were appointed directors of Sowter. Looks like Carnhill is swallowing them all up."
See the company logo:
SOWTER AUDIO TRANSFORMERS WORLDWIDE SHIPPING
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Hello everyone!
If anyone has experience in communicating with Martin Hall from sales? He responds to my emails two or three weeks later. Maybe write him now not to address sales@sowter.co.uk, but to the address sales@carnhill.co.uk?
If anyone has experience in communicating with Martin Hall from sales? He responds to my emails two or three weeks later. Maybe write him now not to address sales@sowter.co.uk, but to the address sales@carnhill.co.uk?
You know... there is this stuff called 2-part epoxy. I can't even recall how many times in the last 50+ years (yah, I am that old) I've 'solved' can-crimp problems as you wrote of, with a tiny bit of 2 part. I like the dark-grey when mixed type ... lasts longer in the tin tubes, the white-and-black don't turn uniform grey until ... they're uniformly mixed, and with a Q-Tip, one can apply a thin film around the can's lid, quick as that. Put it back together, let it set overnight, and voila. It'll never ever open in the remaining life of the Universe. The grey kind of epoxy also doesn't turn yellow-brown (and thereby lose its sticky). Yay for epoxy. (Commercial pitch: J-B Weld)
Brian has been quick to respond to emails with some recent orders post Carnhill takeover. I was told production significantly slowed for a time as multiple workers were out with COVID. Maybe it is a nitpick, but on multiple fulfilled custom orders recently, there has been no included documentation as to the wiring, I have had to write for it, which wasn't an issue in the past. The end bells of a custom mains I received recently had some pretty significant corrosion as well, but Sowter replaced the bells free of charge.
Don't be afraid. This job was done in the past by experienced women mostly and they were trained on the job. Having reverse engineered a Sowter transformer, I can say that it don't take months to wind such a thing. It wasn't on the level to cut the grade, just ordinary winding, no layer wound. It can be done after some days training on the job and a good set of machinery.
No layer, just random sectional wound with some different sections, strictly with adhesive, yellow tape ending and the next, random wound section on top of it. It was the 1290 output. Had bought a bigger version of it, the 1010 but before I was going to plan for it, I wanted to see myself what quality this transformer has. It has some nickel lamms put in the middle of the stack, otherwise silicon steel lamms. Nothing special I think, just ordinary EI lamms. Had to free the transformer from its molding, it was placed into a can with no extra shielding (in former times they did shield the cans internally with copper foils, mu metals etc.).
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I dunno how you can mention Hammond and Sowter in the same breath.
Sowter make the best output transformers in the market for push pull amps.
They are extremely expensive because they are the best there is, and have been doing it for half a century.
Their 813 transformer is a triumph of design, because that's a horribly difficult unit to wind.
Partridge (and their Leics offshoot Parmeko) produced loads of stuff for some of the best lower powered amps ever and loads for military.
It's not really viable to criticise British made mil spec stuff, because they had an economic power house nobody else did, inc their V bombers, which required massive investments in every area of electronics.
Fact is,-the BBC actually did work and set standards which are used by the whole of Europe today.
Again it was on the back of British made inventions, and British made hardware which was (& often still is the the envy of Europe, and in some cases the world.
Neve and Calrec are both British, so were ARM until recently
Rupert must now be in his 90s.
I have no doubt it's possible to make top quality transformers on the island, but I for one can't be bothered.
Too much hassle.
These days I prefer to import from the USA, and nearby Poland, with a near total ban on anything Chinese...
Sowter make the best output transformers in the market for push pull amps.
They are extremely expensive because they are the best there is, and have been doing it for half a century.
Their 813 transformer is a triumph of design, because that's a horribly difficult unit to wind.
Partridge (and their Leics offshoot Parmeko) produced loads of stuff for some of the best lower powered amps ever and loads for military.
It's not really viable to criticise British made mil spec stuff, because they had an economic power house nobody else did, inc their V bombers, which required massive investments in every area of electronics.
Fact is,-the BBC actually did work and set standards which are used by the whole of Europe today.
Again it was on the back of British made inventions, and British made hardware which was (& often still is the the envy of Europe, and in some cases the world.
Neve and Calrec are both British, so were ARM until recently
Rupert must now be in his 90s.
I have no doubt it's possible to make top quality transformers on the island, but I for one can't be bothered.
Too much hassle.
These days I prefer to import from the USA, and nearby Poland, with a near total ban on anything Chinese...