While Audio Note makes excellent gear and transformers, they are not a transformer company, someone else is winding their trannys to their specs. Just like their caps are not made by them. Maybe Sowther, probably not though.
Their trans, while very good are very expensive hence the 2nd party markup.
I decided to go to a transformer company to get to the horses mouth as they say, but honestly it was still very expensive.
I read some great reviews on these transformers used in the applications I am going to use them, would others have been better, I don't know, could be like caps, getting a certain flavor of transformer.
I will post my honest reviews of what all these changes do to my system. I am very excited about this new direction.
First up will be the modding of my cd player ,Lector CDP7 Mk 1.
It will have a new clock, and new diodes by next week and I will report if that was a good upgrade or not, or if it ruined my player!
Then when the Sothers come I will install the transformers and see what that does.
I will be very honest, I have no interest in tricking myself into believing something is better, it either is or it isn't.
My guru has a whole different set of mods he would like to do as well, but I want to do it in steps
He would like to change dac chips and also change the tube output to 417 tube and maybe eliminate the tube section altogether. I will see how it goes with the first set of mods and then decide later about going nuts!