"Joe Kramer" wrote in message
.net
Hi Friends,

I'm currently investigating possible ways to connect my
unbalanced recording system to the balanced input of my
Hafler P3000. Besides fiddling with several cabling
solutions, I also have a dual Jensen transformer unit,
which I normally use on some inputs of my recorder.
After doing an A/B comparison (as best I could) between
hard-coupled versus transformer at the input of the amp,
I thought initially that the transformer tilted the
frequency response toward the low end and lacked
crispness. But after some more listening and mixing
through it, I now realize what I originally heard as a
lack of high end was really the removal of some harsh
upper blurriness, and it allowed me to better distinguish
between, say, maracas, tamborine, and acoustic guitar
strumming. The upper-mid to high frequencies seem to sit
apart better with the transformer, not to mention the
system is dead quiet now. The mix actually translates
well on other speakers, too.
My question has to do with consensus or corroboration.
Before I go and cough up the dough, any opinions, advice,
words of warning about mixing through transformers? Is
there a downside? Anyone else have the experience of
hearing the improvements I think I'm hearing? Thanks.

When sonic accuracy is the goal, transformers are in the
necessary evil department.

IOW, if your system isn't broke without them, you probably
want to leave them out.

If you are getting hum in the link between your console and
your monitor amp, its probably a matter of grounding or
cabling.

The power amp should be plugged into the same outlet or plug
strip as the equipment that drives it.

If the cable from the source to a power amp with a balanced
input is now just shielded coax, you may get an audible
improvement in noise by replacing it with a cable that has
two wires, so that the balanced input is bridged across the
output terminals of the source. IOW, use a shielded
two-conductor cable and hook one signal wire to the shield
at the source end.