Podcast episode
Building the Rocket: Don Morris on 30 Years of Electroplex Amplifiers
Electroplex founder Don Morris on building the Rocket, PCB vs. point-to-point, low-wattage amps, and the Blonde Bassman that inspired it all.
Listen or readNotes from the bench
Articles & Resources
Insights from 45 years of transformer engineering — technical deep dives, customer stories, and practical guidance from our Anaheim, California team.
- Articles
- 45
- Topics
- 9
- Archive since
- 2019
44 articles
Podcast Building the Rocket: Don Morris on 30 Years of Electroplex Amplifiers
Electroplex founder Don Morris on building the Rocket, PCB vs. point-to-point, low-wattage amps, and the Blonde Bassman that inspired it all.
Read article
Engineering How a Guitar Amp Transformer Shapes Your Tone: An Audio Engineer Explains
Our audio engineer explains how guitar amp output and power transformers set headroom, saturation, and feel, and how tone words become specs.
Read article
Company news 45 Years + 45M Transformers Shipped
Founded in 1981, Pacific Transformer enters its 45th year of delivering custom magnetics with world-class engineering, industry-leading turnaround, and a relentless commitment to quality.
Read article
Engineering Custom Transformers in Aerospace & Defense
From the depths of the ocean to the surface of Mars, custom transformers must deliver reliable performance in the most challenging environments.
Read article
Customer story Custom Power Transformers: The Secret Behind Legendary Guitar Amplifiers
The heart behind the sound: how custom transformers shape iconic guitar amplifiers from Trainwreck to Two Rock.
Read article
Insight Custom Power Transformers: Ensuring Supply Chain Resilience
Building supply chain resilience with custom power transformers. How we kept operations running during the recent port strike.
Read article
Company news The Pacific Transformer Difference
We'll fix what your last vendor broke. We take ownership from start to finish, delivering on time, every time.
Read article
Company news Our Engineering Team: The Solution to Your Toughest Challenges
It's not impossible until we say it is. We see ourselves as more than a manufacturer — we're your engineering partners.
Read article
Company news Commitment to Green Innovation
Pacific Transformer named a finalist in the Green/Sustainability category at the 2024 ACG Orange County Awards.
Read article
Engineering Unlocking the Potential of Your Projects
Custom transformers enhance performance, reliability, and space efficiency. Here's where a custom design pays off.
Read article
Customer story Contributing to the Next Generation of Energy Solutions
Helios Power achieved a breakthrough in distribution transformers with a patented high-impedance design.
Read article
Customer story Revitalizing History's Finest Sound Systems
How we reverse-engineered transformers for legendary Acoustat electrostatic speakers.
Read article
Company news Pacific Transformer Joins the California Manufacturers & Technology Association
Elevating our commitment to California manufacturing excellence with CMTA membership.
Read article
Customer story Celebrating a Milestone: Our Contribution to Tesla's 50,000th Supercharger
Our transformers have helped make fast, reliable charging accessible to Tesla owners around the globe.
Read article
Company news Pacific Audio Launches New Line of Affordable Guitar Amp Transformers
The best sounding guitar amp transformers at an affordable price. Introducing the RED series.
Read article
Engineering The Benefits and Challenges of Off-Grid Applications
Custom transformers designed for the unique demands of off-grid power systems.
Read article
Customer story Goodnight Oppy
How Pacific Transformer played a part in Opportunity, the Mars rover launched in July 2003.
Read article
Company news The World's Best Transformers
Our definition is the sum of four categories: reliability, speed, flexibility, and affordability.
Read article
Company news Pacific Transformer Earns 2022 Supplier Award from Otis Worldwide
Recognized for Global Supplier Collaboration & Partnership by the world's leading elevator and escalator company.
Read article
Insight Innovation in Green Energy Technology
For almost four decades, we've designed and built transformers for nearly every facet of the alternative energy field.
Read article
Engineering The Ideal Solution: Catalog vs. Custom
Thousands of common parts are available in our online catalog. When to choose one — and when to go custom.
Read article
Customer story Pacific Transformer Aids to Answer Mankind's Long Unanswered Question
The James Webb Space Telescope: a revolutionary machine that will study every phase of cosmic history.
Read article
Customer story Reviving the Classic Record Sounds of the World's Most Revered Artists
Bringing back the Sound Techniques analog console used by The Beatles, David Bowie, and more.
Read article
Company news Our 40th Year in Business
2021 in review — our 40th anniversary, our first consumer brand, and a major acquisition.
Read article
Company news DAUM Commercial Helps California-Based Manufacturer Expand with Lease of Industrial Facility in Mexico
Pacific Transformer expands Mexico-based manufacturing capacity by 300%.
Read article
Insight How We Have Avoided Disaster Supply Chain Disruptions This Year
Battle-tested contingency plans across our global facilities keep your products arriving on time.
Read article Company news Pacific Audio Magnetics – Making Waves at Lower Price Points
The same stellar sounding, hand-wound transformers at a lower price point.
Read article
Engineering Reducing the Cost to Space
Developing radiation-hardened, hermetic DC-DC converters for space applications with unprecedented flexibility.
Read article
Customer story Helping the World's Most Iconic Motorcycle Brand Go Electric
Engineering the charging system for the Harley-Davidson LiveWire, the brand's first electric motorcycle.
Read article
Customer story Customer Profile: Two-Rock Amplifiers
How our proprietary transformers power the amplifiers used by John Mayer, Eric Johnson, and more.
Read article Company news Pacific Transformer Acquires Renowned High-End Audio Transformer Manufacturer
We acquire Transformer Design and Supply, famed for high-end audio transformers for Matchless and Divided by 13.
Read article Company news Pacific Audio Magnetics to Exhibit at Summer NAMM in Nashville
Pacific Audio Magnetics launches at Summer NAMM — the first consumer product in our 40-year history.
Read article
Customer story “Ingenuity” at Work
The first helicopter on Mars — the first powered, controlled flight outside of Earth — powered by Pacific Transformer.
Read article
Company news Pacific Transformer – 40 Years and Counting
40 million transformers shipped since 1981. How three friends started Pacific Transformer.
Read article
Company news Pacific Transformer Teams Up With Guitar Amplifier Icon
We partner with George Alessandro to launch a direct-to-consumer line of classic vacuum tube guitar amp transformers.
Read article
Insight Supply Chain Trends Accelerated by COVID-19
From China plus-one to nearshoring — how the pandemic reshaped global manufacturing.
Read article
Company news Factory Tour
A step-by-step walkthrough of our manufacturing process at our headquarters in Anaheim, California.
Read article
Engineering Essential Questions When Designing a Power Transformer
The questions that matter when designing a custom power transformer. Our lead engineer breaks it down.
Read article
Company news By the Numbers
Choosing a supplier often comes down to the numbers. Add them up and the choice is pretty clear.
Read article
Engineering Reliability in Flight
Other than our work in healthcare, none is more critical than our work in aerospace.
Read article
Company news COVID-19 Update: We Remain Operational
Fully operational as an essential business, supporting critical medical and defense needs.
Read article
Insight Innovation in EV Transportation
We've designed and built power solutions for almost every electric vehicle on the road today.
Read article
Engineering The Core of High-Frequency Transformers
Why high-frequency transformers require distinct core materials and design considerations.
Read article Insight The Great Unknowns of Offshore Manufacturing
The lesser-known risks of offshore manufacturing: quality, inconsistency, true cost, and logistics.
Read article
Engineering What Is an NRTL?
Unpacking agency approvals — what UL, CSA, TÜV, and ETL certifications really mean.
Read articleGet a Quote
A few questions in — a quote back in one business day.
Our quoting system walks you through your project one question at a time — voltages, quantities, application — and builds your drawings as you go. A PACTRAN applications engineer stands behind every quote.
1DAY
Quote turnaround
Pricing and lead time within 1 business day
2DAYS
Prototype turnaround
A wound, tested prototype in 2 business days
Prefer to talk it through? 800-325-0501
Start your quote
Takes about 5 minWe'll ask, for example
What input voltage does your design see?
- 01
Describe your project. In your own words — give us what you know.
- 02
Answer a few guided questions. We only ask what your quote needs.
- 03
Get your quote. Pricing, lead time, and preliminary drawings — reviewed by an engineer.
Start My Quote
No account needed. Free engineering review.