John Hardy vs Millenia Media

[Tom Hartman]

Would appreciate any opinions on the differences in sound between
these two pres, especially for vocals using something like a 87 or TLM
103....I know both are great pres. I would ask to compare the non
transformer version of Hardy's with the MM.....

Thanks for any input...

[Rob Adelman]

Tom Hartman wrote:

> I would ask to compare the non
> transformer version of Hardy's with the MM.....
>
> Thanks for any input...

You said non transformer but then you said any input. <g>

I have transformers on my Hardy, so I can't say for sure.

-Rob

[Rob Adelman]

Tom Hartman wrote:

> I would ask to compare the non
> transformer version of Hardy's with the MM.....
>
> Thanks for any input...

You said non transformer but then you said any input. <g>

I have transformers on my Hardy, so I can't say for sure.

-Rob

[John L Rice]

"Rob Adelman" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> Tom Hartman wrote:
>
> > I would ask to compare the non
> > transformer version of Hardy's with the MM.....
> >
> > Thanks for any input...
>
> You said non transformer but then you said any input. <g>
>
> I have transformers on my Hardy, so I can't say for sure.
>
> -Rob


And while the output transformers are optional, the input transformers
aren't so I don't think it's possible to hear a Hardy without some
transformer coloration unless it was extremely modified.

When Mr. Hardy gets back from AES he'll be able to answer this better.

John L Rice

[John L Rice]

"Rob Adelman" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> Tom Hartman wrote:
>
> > I would ask to compare the non
> > transformer version of Hardy's with the MM.....
> >
> > Thanks for any input...
>
> You said non transformer but then you said any input. <g>
>
> I have transformers on my Hardy, so I can't say for sure.
>
> -Rob


And while the output transformers are optional, the input transformers
aren't so I don't think it's possible to hear a Hardy without some
transformer coloration unless it was extremely modified.

When Mr. Hardy gets back from AES he'll be able to answer this better.

John L Rice

[John Hardy]

Tom;

> Would appreciate any opinions on the differences in sound between
> these two pres, especially for vocals using something like a 87 or TLM
> 103....I know both are great pres. I would ask to compare the non
> transformer version of Hardy's with the MM.....

The debate will continue regarding an M-1 mic preamp WITH
the optional Jensen JT-11-BMQ output transformer vs. an M-1
WITHOUT the JT-11-BMQ. I am often asked about this.

Most customers get the output transformer option. Some
people don't hear a difference. Some prefer one way or the
other. Some people prefer one way for some things, the other
way for others. Some say it just sounds "better" WITH the
output transformers. The JT-11-BMQ is the best of the Jensen
output transformers, which pretty much makes it the best
output transformer on the planet. For specifications, look
at an almost identical transformer, the Jensen JT-11-BMCF:

http://www.jensentransformers.com/datashts/11bmcf.pdf

The only way for you to know for certain is to try the
various preamps that you are interested in. I offer a 15-day
trial period with a money-back guarantee (except for
shipping & insurance charges). I think other manufacturers
offer similar arrangements. Thank you.

John Hardy
The John Hardy Co.
www.johnhardyco.com

[Justin Ulysses Morse]

John Hardy > wrote:

> Most customers get the output transformer option. Some
> people don't hear a difference. Some prefer one way or the
> other. Some people prefer one way for some things, the other
> way for others. Some say it just sounds "better" WITH the
> output transformers. The JT-11-BMQ is the best of the Jensen
> output transformers, which pretty much makes it the best
> output transformer on the planet. For specifications, look
> at an almost identical transformer, the Jensen JT-11-BMCF:


So, are you using a custom transformer? What is this BMQ? Is it an
off-the-shelf Jensen part? An old part number? How does it differ
from the BMCF?


ulysses

[John Hardy]

ulysses;

> So, are you using a custom transformer? What is this BMQ? Is it an
> off-the-shelf Jensen part? An old part number? How does it differ
> from the BMCF?

Here is the story of the JT-11-BMQ as I recall it: The
JT-11-BMQ started out as a quadfilar-wound version of the
JT-11-BMCF output transformer. The JT-11-BMCF is a
bifilar-wound transformer ( "Q" is for "Quadfilar", "CF" is
for "channel frame"). This was at the time I started making
the Jensen Twin Servo 990 Mic Preamp for Deane Jensen in
1988 or so. The transformer may have existed in the earlier
Boulder version of the Twin Servo, but I don't know. Back
then the transformers had "JE" prefixes instead of the "JT"
prefixes, so it was the JE-11-BMQ. I was using the
JE-11-BMCF without the channel frame in my M-1 preamps at
the time.

The quadfilar method winds four wires simultaneously in a
kind of ribbon cable. I refer you to the folks at Jensen
Transformers for specifics as to the advantages and
disadvantages of a quadfilar winding vs. a bifilar winding.
Deane Jensen was trying to see if the quadfilar method would
result in an improvement in performance compared to the
bifilar method. He concluded that there was no appreciable
advantage, so later versions of the JE-11-BMQ (and
eventually the JT-11-BMQ) are wound with the bifilar method
just as the JT-11-BMCF is. The quadfilar method resulted in
a slightly different impedance than the bifilar method, so
when the BMQ was changed back to the bifilar winding method,
the number of turns was slightly adjusted (compared to the
BMCF) to match the impedance of the quadfilar version.
Otherwise the BMQ and the BMCF are identical. The
differences are negligible.

Eventually I started using the "Q" version in my M-1 mic
preamps as well as the Jensen Twin Servo. Who knows - I may
change back to the BMCF version for the M-1 some day. It is
a hair-splitting difference though (YMMV). The specs of the
BMCF and BMQ are essentially identical, so see the specs for
the JT-11-BMCF on the jensen site
(www.jensentransformers.com) to see how the BMQ performs.

I think the JT-11-BMQ is not on the list of standard parts
because it was originally meant just for the Jensen Twin
Servo 990 Mic Preamp. Thank you.

John Hardy
The John Hardy Co.
www.johnhardyco.com