Biggest knock on the REDDI is its narrow utility niche.
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They came out with the REDDI V2; I think it's just two REDDI's in a two-space rack, no additional features.
I heard talk about a Black REDDI... but, nothing official, and I don't know what it was.
I'm not sure what full featured preamp would be closest to a REDDI? Maybe a Monique?
Did I understand correctly that Jule used to work for A-Designs? (could be way off here)
A "Black REDDI" is what I remember reading about, but I didn't see it among the products listed on the A-Designs webpage, so I wondered if I'd confused it with something else. The V2 is described as a "dual mono 2RU rackmount version."
I've never had a REDDI, but the biggest knocks against it in this thread (not as a D.I., but in general) are insufficient juice to drive a power amp and a lack of EQ, in that order. I don't know if the "Black REDDI" was supposed to have EQ or not, but I'm pretty sure I read about it being able to drive a power amp. If such a beast existed, I thought REDDI fans who want to be able to drive a power amp with it would be interested in it.
Sorry -- wasn't thinking clearly. There's only an in, out, and through -- that's why people talk about splitting the signal (and it not being a viable option). That said, I don't know how hot a signal the REDDI puts out or how well it would drive higher sensitivity amps (assuming one was willing to give the D.I. output for the purpose).
What is similar between Monique and the Reddi is the use of the Cinemag transformer. I have no technical expertise to say this is why I gravitate towards the Monique after loving the Reddi. And I'm not sure what everyone else uses.
What is the significance of the brand of transformer? I am curious as to what would make that a factor in a purchasing decision assuming the transformer was specified correctly in all options being considered.
I'm not sure, admittedly this is something I am not well versed in but seems to be a commonality to the pieces I seem to think sound really good and not very different. And that also seems to be a general consensus among many folks who use a Reddi and Monique. I understand correlation isn't causation, simply pointing out the commonality that many seem to assert is important. I certainly wouldn't think that there is one "correct spec" but more of their own recipe but again I'm not a technical expert so maybe there is only one way to specify it correctly as you seem to believe.
The Zephyr also has a Cinemag in it.
The similarity between the transformers ends with brand name as the transformers are quite different. The REDDI uses a true output transformer while Monique uses a standard direct box/out transformer. In the REDDI, the primary side of the transformer acts as the load for the tube and has to pass DC current. This requires it to be a lot larger than a DI transformer. Unless I've been misinformed, Monique uses resistive loads for the tubes and the transformer is connected to the circuit with a DC blocking capacitor so it doesn't pass DC. I actually explained this in detail in the REDDI megathread (link below) if you're interested in that:
REDDI Tube DI Mega-thread-III
That said, brands of transformers may indeed have a sort of common sonic signature owing to materials and build techniques, though I'm not sure how much it applies to fundamentally different transformers.
Different transformers do have different sonic signatures even with pretty similar specs (or at least designed for the same purpose). I have found that this is particularly pronounced in true output transformers. Some manufacturers strive for minimizing colouration (e.g. Lundahl) but others actively design in a bit of colouration (e.g. Sowter).
P-15 is Cinemag too. I think it has more to do with size and use in the circuit than brand.
Good info thank you, in an attempt to educate myself I came across this which is for a Warm audio Mic pre
Swapping out CineMag transformers offers even more character control
What's better than a high-end CineMag transformer? Two of them, of course! That's why Warm Audio loaded their TB12 500 Tone Beast with both a 100% steel CineMag transformer and another one that's 50% nickel, and you can swap them out with the flip of a switch. When you push the gain - something that's easy to do, thanks to the independent gain and output volume controls - the TB12 500's steel transformer distorts (colors) significantly more than the 50% nickel option, which generally offers a wider frequency spread. But even the nickel option is delightfully warm, so if you're going for totally clean, then you may want to bypass the Tone Beast's transformers altogether, which is also an option.
Cinemag transformer are very good quality transformers, at a reasonable price. Lundahl, Jensen and Haufe are very high quality transformers that some other brands use.
These are four of the best transformer brands I've used and heard.
Stay away from the el-cheapo ones, like altran and others. Better be transformerless in those cases.
Although is not the "really" the brand of the transformer that makes them sound in a way or in another. It's foremost the circuit designed around it. The material used for its core, how good is wounded and how it's built. Usually a high nickel percentage core (up or more than 80%) is a better performing transformer. And also more expensive. Better for the low frequencies ime. There are also other details that makes a transformer perform better on the bass frequencies.
I'm usually not impressed by low percentage of nickel in a transformer, although (as anything else on this planet) it could be perfect for a specific application.
Warm audio offers an incredible price and a well known brand of xformers, but imho their products don't deserve that much attention.
I'm not saying they're bad, but they are built to a price.
They have to cut corners here and there to sell it at that price. Quality has always a price, and I'm not talking by a brand perceived quality.
I'm talking real quality components and labor. From the pcb thickness, materials used, absence of ribbon cables, IC's used or not used, quality switches/pots, quality pwr supplies, etc..
I do like what transformers do to the sound.. When a good designed circuit use an high quality transformer is a good thing imho.
Look at those old Neve's.. They are really good sounding. Also because back then they used a different way to build stuff, and I believe the metals found in the cores were possibly purer/better, probably because of the recycling we use nowadays (which is a very good thing for our planet of course).
In some other cases you're better without an xformer. (Like in the old MCI JH24 tape machines, the transformerless ones sound much better than the ones with xformers IME).
Cheu
These are four of the best transformer brands I've used and heard.
Stay away from the el-cheapo ones, like altran and others. Better be transformerless in those cases.
Although is not the "really" the brand of the transformer that makes them sound in a way or in another. It's foremost the circuit designed around it. The material used for its core, how good is wounded and how it's built. Usually a high nickel percentage core (up or more than 80%) is a better performing transformer. And also more expensive. Better for the low frequencies ime. There are also other details that makes a transformer perform better on the bass frequencies.
I'm usually not impressed by low percentage of nickel in a transformer, although (as anything else on this planet) it could be perfect for a specific application.
Warm audio offers an incredible price and a well known brand of xformers, but imho their products don't deserve that much attention.
I'm not saying they're bad, but they are built to a price.
They have to cut corners here and there to sell it at that price. Quality has always a price, and I'm not talking by a brand perceived quality.
I'm talking real quality components and labor. From the pcb thickness, materials used, absence of ribbon cables, IC's used or not used, quality switches/pots, quality pwr supplies, etc..
I do like what transformers do to the sound.. When a good designed circuit use an high quality transformer is a good thing imho.
Look at those old Neve's.. They are really good sounding. Also because back then they used a different way to build stuff, and I believe the metals found in the cores were possibly purer/better, probably because of the recycling we use nowadays (which is a very good thing for our planet of course).
In some other cases you're better without an xformer. (Like in the old MCI JH24 tape machines, the transformerless ones sound much better than the ones with xformers IME).
Cheu
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