[Andre Jute]

Partridge output transformers are mentioned in the RDH4 in somewhat
suspicious circumstances, as outlined by Patrick Turner in the
contemporaneous Williamson thread on RAT.

I don't want to mix into the technicalities of that because I didn't
measure the pair of Partridges I had on loan for a while.

Partridge was always very secretive. I seem to recall there was a Dr
Partridge, a sort of a British Reuben Lee, but less forthcoming about
his methods.

I had two Partridge PP output transformers on loan. I built a
perfectly standard trioded EL34 amp on them, to my normal conservative
spec. The Partridges sounded as good as my standard of excellence,
Lundahl.

Into the 1990's L'Audiophile in Paris offered newly wound, factory
fresh Partridge output transformers. The ones I remember were for the
Legend 300B SE kit, and just about doubled the price over the
perfectly good Tango trx that were standard. Looked to me like the
French bought into the Partridge mystique.

But there was no secret about it. The Partridge magic was just the
best iron and copper and enough of it, no skimping. A little secrecy,
a little gullible "respect" by another engineer for an ackowledged
leader in the field, and a presumed error in a largely error-free book
like the RDH4 is fully explained.

It is not generally understood how much bigger modern iron is than
even found on revered vintage amps. We recently discussed the
Mirrophonic WE91. I had a pair of the modern recreation of the
official replacement outputs for that amp, the Peerless TFA-204. Those
of you with back copies of Glass Audio can see in my review of the Dan
Schmalle/VALVE/Electronic Tonalities SEX amp a photograph of the
Peerless TFA-204 next to the known-good Lundahls transformer I was the
first to use in modern WE91 adaptation, and which is now pretty much
standard. The TFA-294 looks like a matchbox next to the Lundahl. The
difference in sound is like the square of the difference in size.

So I imagine that much of the mystique of Partridges, and the quality
of the sound, arises not so much from "magic metal" as from old-
fashioned resistance to compromise; the Partridges I've handled and
those sold by L'Audiophile were clearly not built down to a price, or
even down to a spec, but to upside margins generous enough to be heard
in the final result.

Does anyone know if Partridge is still in business and what they do
now?

Andre Jute
Visit Jute on Amps at http://members.lycos.co.uk/fiultra/
"wonderfully well written and reasoned information
for the tube audio constructor"
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containing vital gems of wisdom"
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[graham]

"Andre Jute" wrote in message
oups.com...

Does anyone know if Partridge is still in business and what they do
now?

Yes, they are still in business and the all COPYRIGHTS are owned
by David Cassidy & Susan Dey .....

[Peter Wieck]

On Oct 12, 12:21 pm, "graham" wrote:

Yes, they are still in business and the all COPYRIGHTS are owned
by David Cassidy & Susan Dey .....

Waiting for the other shoe to drop... .

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

[Peter Wieck]

On Oct 12, 11:23 am, Andre Jute wrote:

Does anyone know if Partridge is still in business and what they do
now?

No search engines in Ireland?

http://www.transformers.co.uk/index.asp?pgid=27

Down towards the bottom of the page.

And this is NOT the OEM Partridge:

http://www.partridgeelectronics.co.uk/transformers.htm

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

[Doug Bannard]

"Bret Ludwig" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Oct 12, 1:17 pm, Peter Wieck wrote:
On Oct 12, 11:23 am, Andre Jute wrote:

Does anyone know if Partridge is still in business and what they do
now?

No search engines in Ireland?

http://www.transformers.co.uk/index.asp?pgid=27

I've had acquaintances on the dentally challenged lilly pad contact
them in the matter and they do not supply Partridge audio transformers
on any regular basis or even willingly answer enquiries.


I think that by the the late '50s Partridge had metamorphosed into Parmeko
(abbreviation of Partridge, Mee and Company). They have a website below and
might well be worth contacting:

http://www.parmeko.co.uk/html/transformers.html


Best Regards : Doug Bannard

[Ian Iveson]

Bret said:

http://www.transformers.co.uk/index.asp?pgid=27

I've had acquaintances on the dentally challenged lilly pad contact
them in the matter and they do not supply Partridge audio transformers
on any regular basis or even willingly answer enquiries.

Still...

A couple of years ago, I got through direct to the abandoned wooden hut where
the audio winding crew are kept. An old guy, tripping over his words with
helpful enthusiasm, sent me a catalogue of OPTs, PTs and chokes.

Later when I rang up for a quote, the existence of such a department was
curtly denied by
well-briefed staff at every level. I guess they took the phone from the shed.

Shame. The trannies were the real McCoy, so to speak.

Ian

[Andre Jute]

On Oct 12, 4:30 pm, "Doug Bannard" wrote:
On Oct 12, 11:23 am, Andre Jute wrote:

Does anyone know if Partridge is still in business and what they do
now?

I think that by the the late '50s Partridge had metamorphosed into Parmeko
(abbreviation of Partridge, Mee and Company). They have a website below and
might well be worth contacting:

http://www.parmeko.co.uk/html/transformers.html

Best Regards : Doug Bannard

Thanks, Doug.

Andre Jute
Hear the legendary Partridges and die smiling

[Laurence Payne]

On Sat, 13 Oct 2007 13:34:04 +0200, François Yves Le Gal
wrote:

I think that by the the late '50s Partridge had metamorphosed into Parmeko

Hmm. Are you sure? Acording to the docs I've got, Parmeko was founded in
1927...

As Partridge, perhaps?

[Doug Bannard]

"François Yves Le Gal" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 12 Oct 2007 19:30:57 -0400, "Doug Bannard"
wrote:

I think that by the the late '50s Partridge had metamorphosed into Parmeko

Hmm. Are you sure? Acording to the docs I've got, Parmeko was founded in
1927...

I am not 100% certain, hence the "I think". I have accessed their web page
and asked them if they can provide a catalogue or list of their audio
offerings (if any). I'll let the group know what I find out.


Best Regards : Doug Bannard

[Patrick Turner]

Andre Jute wrote:

On Oct 12, 4:30 pm, "Doug Bannard" wrote:
On Oct 12, 11:23 am, Andre Jute wrote:

Does anyone know if Partridge is still in business and what they do
now?

I think that by the the late '50s Partridge had metamorphosed into Parmeko
(abbreviation of Partridge, Mee and Company). They have a website below and
might well be worth contacting:

http://www.parmeko.co.uk/html/transformers.html

Best Regards : Doug Bannard

Thanks, Doug.

Andre Jute
Hear the legendary Partridges and die smiling

I doubt Parmeko have any off the shelf tube amp OPTs.

They might be available as specials.

Expect a price with an extra zero over the going rate.....

Patrick Turner.