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What is an isolation transformer?

by Nyal Mellor April 08, 2013

Isolation transformers are oversized, specially designed versions of the transformers found in linear power supplies. They are called isolation transformers because there is no direct electrical connection through an isolation transformer (excepting safety ground). Incoming electrical energy is converted to magnetic energy and then back to electrical energy. Well designed isolation transformers have a large number of benefits:

Intrinsically reliable and long lasting, much more so than power re-generators which are failure prone.
Significantly reduce powerline noise. Torus Power’s Narrow Bandwidth Technology (NBT)
offers up to 60dB noise reduction at 1mHz. This, together with the re-bonding of neutral and ground on the secondary side of the transformer, offers excellent isolation from power disturbances and surges.
Increase dynamic current delivery. Properly sized transformers can increase audio system dynamics by allowing power amplifiers to draw higher instantaneous current than they would be able to from the wall outlet. This can be done because electrical energy is stored in the transformer’s magnetic field.

We recommend Torus Power‘s line of isolation transformers because they have superb performance and a wide range of products to meet nearly every potential need and use case.