The philosophy behind Kondo's
step-up transformer

Kondo - MC transformers reveal a
breathy air that charges the room - this
is due to a larger quantity of small-scale
information. In contrast, high gain phono
stages tend to sound gray and tight...not the
way Kondo thinks music should be reproduced not
the way in which Audio Note products are made to sound.

The MC cartridge is essentially a low voltage/current generating device and the inductive-reactive, low DCR, MC transformer is the perfect load. The proportions of the music's energy are much better preserved when a high-quality transformer is the load that the cartridge "sees". The transformer load is the gentle bridge that allows the most complete signal energy transfer. Another reason this "gentle bridge" is so effective at reproducing small scale information is that a properly designed transformer provides an impedance match that minimizes reflections from the load side of the cartridge/gain interface. Voltage loss of a transformer is fundamentally 'zero'!

One of the most important aspects of MC transformer design is the selection of core materials. High permeability (i.e.: Superpermalloy/T-10) core materials are expensive and hard to make. Due to their extreme permeability, these exotic core materials make it very difficult to design quality transformers. The designer must carefully balance wide bandwidth with a wide permeability ratio area. The shape or 'aspect ratio' of the core must be experimentally derived and the final results must be proven in listening tests under actual music conditions. Our tests have shown that 'E/I and L' type cores generate local magnetic saturation due to their mechanical structure with joints. The resonance or 'beat' of a core material must also be considered. Kondo has done much research on the resonant character of core materials and construction. When forming cores, permeability decreases by 50-60% if hard press stamping is used. To regain permeability, hydrogen annealing must be used. Kondo uses more advanced forms of stamping, annealing, and finishing than any manufacturer in the world.

AN-S6cz

The Audio note AN-S6cz moving coil transformer is a pure, state-of-the-art, expressions of what an MC step up can be. Exotic nickel cores and hand-drawn, age annealed, silver wire are used to create this transformer. Copper chassis and captive AN-Vx silver interconnect with pure, solid silver connectors are an integral parts of the design. The AN-S6cz transformer is highly adjustable with input impedance, output load, and a choice of balanced or single-ended operation are among the available choices. This transformer is the perfect interface for all moving coil cartridges.