Cinemag CMOQ-2 transformers for PM1000

[honkyjonk]

Just thought I'd report what I found today.

A couple years ago, I started adding direct outs to my PM1000 board, and based on a recommendation from someone somewhere I ordered 2 Cinemag CMOQ-2 transformers. As some may know, these come in three varieties concerning their cores: Full nickel (CMOQ-2H) half Nickel, half Steel (CMOQ-2L) and full Steel (CMOQ-2S)

I ordered the "L" and the "S." The Nickel ones are more transparent and the Steel is more colored. I didn't want these things too transparent so I decided to try the steel and the half and half.

Anyway, when I a/b'd these two transformers against themselves and against the original tamuras as direct outs for my board, I was doing individual channels, and comparing exact copies of mono sources.

I decided after that test to strip all the tamuras out of the buss outs and use them as direct outs, and put CMOQ-2L's in the master busses.

I couldn't really hear a huge difference between the 3 transformers (CMOQ-2L, CMOQ-2S, and tamura) when I was a/b'ing individual channels, so I decided to go CMOQ-2L's in the master outs and err on the side of clarity, and use the tamuras in the direct outs because there were more of them.

So I had this CMOQ-2S laying around, so I ordered another for a pair. These are the same trannies that Seventh Circle uses in the API kits, and Purple uses in some of their gear. Not shabby at all.

Just today I finally wired the pair up in a vacant spot in busses 3 and 4 of the PM1K, and ran a mix through those busses instead of the the "L" busses.

Holy crap. There was a much bigger difference than I had remembered there being when I had a/b'ed them with individual channels.

The "S" flat out kicks ass! It's a bit more compressed sounding, more colored, less crispy, when pushed hard it sounds like it's on the verge of distorting but still clear enough, and the buss still has headroom for days. Punchy AND smooth. Wierd. When people say warm, I imagine this is the sound they have in their head. It's the sound I have in my head anyway.

Okay, I'm not a Cinemag spokesman.

Drums sound way more rockin. It's really obvious, the difference, when these are pushed a bit.

I'm contemplating whether or not I want to swap out the "L's" in my other buss strips to have "S's" all round.

I can see something like classical material maybe not fitting with these transformers in the 2 buss, but who mixes classical on a PM1000?

By the way, here's the wiring for all CMOQ-2's:

1. If you're using them with a racked pair of PM1K's, or for direct outs-
Transformer input-Brown connects to C37 (BO), Yellow to ground
Transformer output-Green hot (pin 2), Grey cold (pin 3)

There's 4 more wires coming from the transformer which may be confusing. Tie Blue to Violet, and Red to Orange. This will give you a 1:1 output.

For use in the buss outs, tie off the blue/violet/red/orange wires like mentioned above, and then wire them like the tamuras, but pay attention:

Tamura:
Input-brown (hot)/Red (ground)
Output-Blue (hot)/green (cold)

Cinemag CMOQ-2 series:
Input-brown (hot)/Yellow (ground)
Output-green (hot)/grey (cold)

Substitute accordingly.

Okay, just thought I'd share. This will be helpful to somebody I'm sure. The CMOQ-2S is the bomb. I didn't realize how rocking that thing is.

Chao.

[Nate Dort]

I've got four of them waiting to be used in an API 312 style pre that I'm building. I should have it finished next weekend, although I've been saying that for a month now.

[emrr]

headroom in a transformer is in regards to the lowest frequencies; it's goes up with frequency. So it's entirely possible to get low frequency distortion and harmonics added to perfectly clear sounding top end (+ distortion harmonics from lower frequencies). Steel adds much more distortion than nickel, so we have the beginnings of a recipe. I don't know what a PM-1000 channel will put out, but I'd guess nothing approaching the 1% distortion level of the transformer of +23dbm at 20 Hz.

[FiveFish]

While the output trafo does add flavor, I think the effects of the input transformer are bigger to the overall sound than the output trafo. Maybe a 90/10 or 80/20 ratio in terms of flavor contribution.

Here's a project I'm working on... also using the CMOQ-2S for the output.



My IO-module can be used to create an API-style preamp... just need to add a 2520/DOA preamp stage. (For now, I'm using my SC-1 pre as the gain block stage.)

[ideaofnorth]

I have 4 of these on order for direct outs on my PM1000. nice to get some confirmation on how these should work out...

[JdJ]

Thanks Jonk-

I had forgotten you had mentioned this- I'm definitely going to get some into my PM1K strips. The hookup info will be helpful.

Cheers,

J

[calaverasgrandes]

This reminds me, I need to get off my ass and finish my pm1000 racking project. I have been doing okay with a PM180 and a Summit mic pre. But I miss the depth and well, hugeness of the PM1000.