Try Mercury Magnetics. If they're still around, they used to rebuild transformers or might have a matching replacement. |
That preamp as well as TAD amps were made my a Chinese company called BEZ. Paul of TAD would then finished them out with some finishing steps.....
The transformer is most likely a BEZ and they still are in business and sell transformers. I bet you can take the old one out, take a picture and jot down the specs, then email BEZ for a replacement. I heavily modified a TAD 60 and have emailed BEZ thus this knowledge.
http://www.bezdz.com/engindex.html |
The Tad 150 was made by a Chinese company called Audcom. I believe Bez made the amps for Paul |
BEZ did make the amps for sure. |
Here's an email I got from BEZ this morning:
Sorry this pre amplifier is not our product so we cant repair.
We wish to help you but we only make EI core transformers.
Best regards
Zhi Huang
BEZ team
Hoping Mercury Magnetics can help.
Thanks so much for the replies Czarivey, Grannyring and Metman.
Any further thoughts please let me know. |
I would think you just need the transformer specs. You can then order from Hammond. Just look at the tranny and write down all you see......hopefully there are stickers etc...
No need to use the same tranny. Just a tranny that meets the specs needed. |
No stickers, no specs. Repair shop wrote down 4 numbers he said were important, think they represent voltage.
on the left (incoming): 110
on the right (outgoing): 200 11 32
If you had a choice between Torid vs CI, would you choose one over the other ? (original was torid)
Mercury Mag said they wouldn't make a torid for audio but could probably make a CI that would work.
Hammond might be able to make a torid version. |
I would replace with the same style they had.... Torroid. |
Not sure if they're still around but did you attempt to contact Audcom? |
Sounds like Audcom is no more.
I heard years ago the factory closed (maybe burned down ?).
One dead end after another.
Hate to end up selling this for parts... |
No need to sell for parts any good repair place will simply replace the tranny with one spec'd accordingly.
What area to do live? Goodness even I could do this simple job. You can get your pre fixed for sure. |
I'm in Tampa. The stereo repair shop I took it to
couldn't find anyone that could make a replacement (≤$400 anyway),
as the machinery to make toroid transformers is apparantly very expensive.
As it stands the only option is to send the blown transformer to
Mercury Magnetics and hope they can make a comparable CI version.
But I'm happy to pay you, Grannyring, if you can do it. |
Take Grannyring's advice, The 150 is an excellent pre and you should Be Able to find a competent repair shop to do the work |
Hope you're right, but the search has been nothing but discouraging so far.
Here's the reply from Hammond Mfg:
"Sorry but that would be a custom design very expensive to do but before you ask for a cost I need the amperage for each output voltage."
Is that even possible to calculate from a dead transformer ? |
Maybe Tube De Force in Canada can assist you.
tubedeforce.com
They do a lot of rebuilding and ressurecting of old amps and improve on the original as well as consult on some very large scale projects.
All the best,
Nonoise |
Mercury Magnetics provide transformers for Manley and VTL amps. A custom built 'fresh' transformer should not jeopardise TAD's performance. |
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