ATL, (All Transformers Less)

Most vacuum tube power amplifiers use a transformer to match the output tubes to the speaker impedance. We have with interest and surprise noted that many manufacturers now are going back even to use transformers in the signal path in pre-amplifiers, (this was an old method used in the beginning of tube technology).

At Q-tron we have instead made it possible to completely remove all transformers, (and most coupling capacitors) from the signal path of both pre- and power-amplifiers which we believe is important as transformers reduce sound quality.

It has been known for a long time that transformers introduce distorsion especially 3rd harmonics so it is difficult to understand why some manufacturers are re-introducing them in circuits where they are easily avoided.

We know it is possible to design quite good sounding amplifiers using transformers but we also know that we can get a much better result by completely eliminate them. It seems that the intention from some manufacturers is to deliberatly introduce some extra distorsion in order to "color" the sound in a special way, this is not anyhthing we believe in at Q-tron.

Our amplifiers do not need these artificial methods in order to give good sound, we know that a competently designed amplifier will always sound better without transformers. Distorsion, bandwidth and transient response will all be improved without transformer coupling.