Kondo Audio Note SFz. MC step-up transformer.

Based on our silver wire application know-how compiled over years, we applied all our transformer winding skills and understandings of wire diameter versus sound characters. The new SFz is a result of full exploit of the excellent sound characteristic of pure (99.99%) silver.
Complete freshness which awakes the delicate power of music expression over a quiet space.
It is the ultimate pleasure for any analog lover.

Features:

• Newly developed multi-layers balanced style winding structure. Together with the use of pure silver wires, rich sound with refine smoothness is obtained.
• A large size core laminated of extremely thin 0.1 mm permalloy, realizing low loss and low distortion.
• Double shields structure made of a permalloy case and a pure copper inner case.
• Double float mechanical damping by special selected materials.
• Signal output is direct with minimum connections. Flagship silver cable Ls-41 is used as output cable.
• The chassis is made of pure copper to guarantee open sound and stable sound.

Pure Silver Balanced multi-layer winding transformer

Multi-layer winding structure is used to maintain flat frequency response up to 100kHz. The peaking level is less than 1.5dB* even under no loaded condition at the secondary. (* connecting to a phono amplifier with 47kΩ input impedance.)

Extremely Thin Permalloy Core

Employed in the SFz is a large core built up with custom made ultra thin permalloy layers (100μm thickness). This unique design controls and suppresses eddy current and hysteresis loss to gain a flat response up to 100kHz. The core structure has a big sectional area and short magnetic circuit path to assure ultra low frequencies while maintaining extremely low distortion.

Elimination of Contacts

Mechanical contact points have been minimized, for its application to handle ultra low level signals. SFz has two independent impedance terminals on the primary side, 1.5Ω and 30Ω. Each terminal is soldered to a lead coming directly from the coil without any intermediate connection. Likewise in the secondary side, the leads coming from the coil are soldered directly to our flagship Ls-41 pure silver output cable.

Double Shield and Double Float Mechanical Damping Construction

The transformer is mounted in permalloy case and further covered by a inner chassis made of copper. The permalloy shield works against magnetic while the copper shields Fights the electrostatic.
The transformer is carefully held with damping gel. Special rubbers are is selected and used on the feet in order to further absorb mechanical vibration.

Balanced mode, Unbalanced mode

The SFz enables you to receive the signal from a phono cartridge on Balanced mode or Unbalanced mode by switching the grounding point of the primary side of the transformer. In case receiving on Balanced mode, use a 2 conductor type shielded phono cable to bring out the utmost performance. When there is no hum observed, use this unit at Balanced position for wider and deeper sound stage.

* Please note that Balanced mode is not available with a turntable wherein shielded section is grounded.

Specifications: