Kolarkar Audio Research OPT

[sann]

Recently I had the opportunity of meeting Mr Asnain Kolarkar of Kolarkar audio research.

He visited me with the output transformers he built for my 2A3/45 amp.

Earlier I used edcor and Hashimto OPT's which I understood after listening to his transformers were only producing midrange and lacking the low frequency and overall refinement substantially.

The biggest surprise was they seem to be transferring more power as now I don't have to turn the volume knob as much, which inturn is resulting in more authority while driving the speakers.

I am am extremely satisfied to have found such great quality OPT in India. And highly appreciate the work Mr Kolarkar is doing at a young age.

 

[analogadikt]

I have been using amps built with his transformers and based on special designs by some famous American gurus. They are fabulous. My EL84 (yes 84) PP in class A2 does 35 WPC while being really musical.
IMO if you use his trafos in your amp you are almost touching the mark to superb performance, but for real top grade audio Nirvana , get a amp built as per those designs. @yogibear does some great builds.

Regards,

 

[yogibear]

Sharing a bit of my own journey of last few years….

Preamps : Double Triode SRPP, DHT, Single Triode.
Amps: F2a SE, EL84 SE, EL84 PP, 300B

Some designs are my own cooking adventures and some are from Jack Elliano of Electra Print Audio USA. All the iron; power, chokes and output were custom hand wound meticulously by Kolarkar Audio for each and every design with guidance from Bud Purvine, founding engineer of O’Nectics USA.

Next in the line are IT coupled 300B Push Pull and EL34 20 wpc…. I cannot stress much in words about tonality, wide frequency bandwidth, low THD and IMD and power delivery… It has to be experienced and get immersed into….

Audio reproduction was never this rich and exciting….

I have extensively played with some top brands and none rang the bell so loud and clear….

 

[Hari Iyer]

When I contacted them for my builds, I found their chokes and OPT more expensive than importing from Japan. Here I am talking about cost and not quality. Unless someone give me a pair to test, I won't be able to do a comparison for quality.

 

[yogibear]

When I contacted them for my builds, I found their chokes and OPT more expensive than importing from Japan. Here I am talking about cost and not quality. Unless someone give me a pair to test, I won't be able to do a comparison for quality.

Been there and done that. Won’t spell
names but they were waste of time / money for me.

You should try a pair and you would understand the value they bring to music and how they compare with the best. Not to mention the price comparison. Feel
free to measure them as well.

 

[Nikhil]

Recently I had the opportunity of meeting Mr Asnain Kolarkar of Kolarkar audio research.

He visited me with the output transformers he built for my 2A3/45 amp.

Have heard of Kolarkar from other forum members as well.
Really nice to know that we have high quality transformers available locally.

I recently looked up his profile on Instagram and it was very interesting to see his work.

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[Mohd asnain]

When I contacted them for my builds, I found their chokes and OPT more expensive than importing from Japan. Here I am talking about cost and not quality. Unless someone give me a pair to test, I won't be able to do a comparison for quality.

Hello sir.
You contacted me for a pair for chokes rated 1 amp and 400mh ..you said me that you are getting them for rs1800 from Hammond weight of that was 700 grams .and I offered you the choke which is made in non grain oriented around 2.5 kg to 3 kg for weight for 5000 to 6500 indan ruppes .so you need a good quality product in 1800 ruppes same like Hammond we don't have.our transformers are totally different from Japanese quality even size weight material and hand wounded.we make each transformer .choke opt any thing seeing the circuit according to that we do calculation and make perfect match .some time custom works may be more expensive.i attached the photo also about your requirements for. Clearance

Regards
Kolarkar audio

 

[yogibear]

Upon my recommendation, a friend chose to get his GM70 resurrected by him. Bud Sir actually put in his time to design all the iron for him including the interstage. The whole amp was rebuilt part by part.

His amplifier now sings at another level, unimaginable, if in Delhi, hear it yourself.

I personally consider Bud Sir, God of “Audio Iron” on earth. His deep insight and knowledge to minute details on transformer design is staggering and winding of Kolarkar Audio brings it to life.

 

[keith_correa]

When I contacted them for my builds, I found their chokes and OPT more expensive than importing from Japan.

them = Kolarkar Audio Research?

 

[sann]

When I contacted them for my builds, I found their chokes and OPT more expensive than importing from Japan. Here I am talking about cost and not quality. Unless someone give me a pair to test, I won't be able to do a comparison for quality.

I aslo wanted to test the Japanese OPT's in my system before placing the order, but the manufacturer turned down my request to send a pair for trial. So I had to buy them without testing .

Kolarkar OPT's costed 15% less than the landing price of Japanese transformers.

 

[analogadikt]

Experienced and knowledgeable valve amp builders no longer prefer Jap iron . Here is one such comment.

Check post#17 in this link.

Partridge output transformers

Hi everyone, I found a couple of 1950s Partridge single ended output transformers for a good price. They are about the same size as the General Trans PMF-10WS (see photo for comparison). Anyway, they are 6k ohms with secondary to 3 and 16 ohms, so if I use them on a 8ohm speaker it means they...

hifihaven.org

I am convinced that Kolarkar Audio Research is providing best quality iron at very reasonable prices. In fact I have several vintage amps from my collection lined up for upgrade using his top quality winds. I shall share the details as each project gets completed.

Regards,

 

[Hari Iyer]

View attachment 87127

Sharing a bit of my own journey of last few years….

Preamps : Double Triode SRPP, DHT, Single Triode.
Amps: F2a SE, EL84 SE, EL84 PP, 300B

Some designs are my own cooking adventures and some are from Jack Elliano of Electra Print Audio USA. All the iron; power, chokes and output were custom hand wound meticulously by Kolarkar Audio for each and every design with guidance from Bud Purvine, founding engineer of O’Nectics USA.

Next in the line are IT coupled 300B Push Pull and EL34 20 wpc…. I cannot stress much in words about tonality, wide frequency bandwidth, low THD and IMD and power delivery… It has to be experienced and get immersed into….

Audio reproduction was never this rich and exciting….

I have extensively played with some top brands and none rang the bell so loud and clear….

them = Kolarkar Audio Research?

Yes

 

[Hari Iyer]

Hello sir.
You contacted me for a pair for chokes rated 1 amp and 400mh ..you said me that you are getting them for rs1800 from Hammond weight of that was 700 grams .and I offered you the choke which is made in non grain oriented around 2.5 kg to 3 kg for weight for 5000 to 6500 indan ruppes .so you need a good quality product in 1800 ruppes same like Hammond we don't have.our transformers are totally different from Japanese quality even size weight material and hand wounded.we make each transformer .choke opt any thing seeing the circuit according to that we do calculation and make perfect match .some time custom works may be more expensive.i attached the photo also about your requirements for. Clearance

Regards
Kolarkar audio

I don't recollect what exactly we discussed 1.5 years ago, so can't confirm. But in my experience working with tube amplifier a heavy choke does not translate to a better sounding amplifier. I did not consider not only for the cost but also for the heavy weight of your chokes. You or your customers can choose to disagree with me and it doesn't matter to me as each person design amplifiers and also listen very differently. The way Hammmond chokes are wound are quite different that the way your chokes are wound. I found more copper and less iron in Hammond and opposite in yours ( if I am correct). The more heavier the chokes the more difficult for HF to sound crystal clear and with low distortion. You need lighter and softer chokes for HF to pass unaltered - again my personal experience. Other's designs may be different and it's an OK. After all what we listen as music is modulated AC current with AC wall outlet via an input music source.

 

[Hari Iyer]

I aslo wanted to test the Japanese OPT's in my system before placing the order, but the manufacturer turned down my request to send a pair for trial. So I had to buy them without testing .

Kolarkar OPT's costed 15% less than the landing price of Japanese transformers.

Which transformer are you talking about. General mention is of no use- atleast for my knowledge.

I don't know how much kolarkar OPT cost. But from the quote which I received for chokes I am sure it will definitely be expensive than my Japanese OPT after paying shipping an import duty.

 

[Hiten]

It is good to have Indian alternative for output transformers. I abandoned my tube amp project as transformers with shipping were expensive.
https://www.hifivision.com/threads/diy-single-ended-tube-ss-amplifier-kit-preliminary-inquiry.71764/
- - - - - -
I was under the impression more weight (Lamination,coils) (Inductance) good bass performance. For High frequnecies low capacitance (coil implementations) designs for transformers. Ofcourse amplifier topology also needs to be considered. Like PP or SET etc.
regds.

 

[yogibear]

It is good to have Indian alternative for output transformers. I abandoned my tube amp project as transformers with shipping were expensive.
https://www.hifivision.com/threads/diy-single-ended-tube-ss-amplifier-kit-preliminary-inquiry.71764/
- - - - - -
I was under the impression more weight (Lamination,coils) (Inductance) good bass performance. For High frequnecies low capacitance (coil implementations) designs for transformers. Ofcourse amplifier topology also needs to be considered. Like PP or SET etc.
regds.

Hence the incentive and motivation to try out some interesting designs as opposed to the headache and costs involved with imports. The best part is you can get customized iron according to your particular design and tube.

It’s a big fallacy that if you want bass from tube amps, PP is the only way. SE bass extension and quality is something to be experienced. ( I have no need of subs in my own setup )

BTW the two chokes from your “incomplete project” made two fantastic sounding tube preamps….

 

[Hiten]

Good to know that Yogibear. Does Asnain make solid state amplifier Power supply Transformers ?
regds.

 

[yogibear]

Good to know that Yogibear. Does Asnain make solid state amplifier Power supply Transformers ?
regds.

He can, you need to ask him. I use custom wound low noise transformer from him for my DAC and Phono.

 

[ronniemarker]

Hello everyone:

Asnain refurbished a pair of vintage QUAD II valve power amps for me - I am still "testing" them (for reliability and stability, mainly), but, my initial impressions are that they do sound very nice after the "repair-overhauling" work that he has performed on the pair - so much so, that I have now dispatched to him a 2nd pair (of Quad IIs) and am awaiting the results of his handiwork on those. Asnain is a very helpful and personable individual who takes pains to guide relatively lay persons such as I and he is also very patient and approachable whenever I have directed my questions, doubts and queries to him. All in all, I have had good dealings and experiences with Asnain and I hope it will remain this way and that I will be able to send him more equipment for him to "fix" and "revive" in the coming years. Do contact him if you have an old valve amp that you'd like to bring back "on line" - I am sure he'll be able to help you.

 

[yogibear]

Hello everyone:

Asnain refurbished a pair of vintage QUAD II valve power amps for me - I am still "testing" them (for reliability and stability, mainly), but, my initial impressions are that they do sound very nice after the "repair-overhauling" work that he has performed on the pair - so much so, that I have now dispatched to him a 2nd pair (of Quad IIs) and am awaiting the results of his handiwork on those. Asnain is a very helpful and personable individual who takes pains to guide relatively lay persons such as I and he is also very patient and approachable whenever I have directed my questions, doubts and queries to him. All in all, I have had good dealings and experiences with Asnain and I hope it will remain this way and that I will be able to send him more equipment for him to "fix" and "revive" in the coming years. Do contact him if you have an old valve amp that you'd like to bring back "on line" - I am sure he'll be able to help you.

I am glad all worked out for you just fine. The best part is, he can custom wind iron for a particular build and bring it to life, as close to original as much it’s possible to do.