In the mid-eighties, while still in its infancy, Martin Schmitz’s Musikelectronik was already manufacturing its own transformers in-house, enabling all types of audio transmitters to be built and resulting in products such as splitter boxes and signal isolation transformers sold under the name Palmer Musical Instruments and distributed by Adam Hall.

As the ‘90s loomed, the end of Western tube production and generally poor quality of Chinese models prompted the company to cease manufacturing the valve amplifiers on which it had been founded. But by this time its portfolio of peripheral devices had developed to such an extent that the creation of a second label, Palmer Audio Tools, was necessary. The distribution of all products was taken over by Adam Hall.
“We pretty soon found out that the output transformers of tube amplifiers play a decisive role in terms of sound,” recalls Schmitz. “In order to be able to gain control over this important element, we decided to produce these transformers ourselves. The next logical step from there was the development of audio transformers for DI-Boxes and line isolation transformers. Very often these transformers are the heart of the little helpers we produce today.”

“If you use a proper transformer,” he continues, “there is no change in frequency response within the human hearing range. It is however correct, that a transformer balanced output produces a measurably higher THD at high levels, compared to electronically balanced outputs. However, the THD of a transformer behaves similar to that of a tube. The harmonics don’t suddenly kick in as is the case with semiconductors, but slowly and proportionally to the volume, which is perceived to be more natural. Apart from this, the harmonics are frequency-dependant and the resulting spectrum is, as it is the case with tubes, perceived to be warm-sounding and powerful.”

Perhaps the product for which Palmer is most renowned, the PDI03 speaker simulator was exhibited for the first time at Musikmesse Frankfurt in 1989. This special DI box used filters to recreate the sound of a typical guitar speaker and thanks to the company’s English distributor, Gladden Audio, was quickly and enthusiastically snapped up by several British and American studios of note. Several high profile users of the device have been noted, including Keith Richards, Van Halen and Joe Satriani. Production of the unit was to be short-lived however. Before long, a devastating blow was delivered to Palmer’s flagship device by Aspen Pitman/Groove Tubes, which swiftly and mercilessly acted upon a patent it had been granted for its own Speaker Emulator, seeing off Rocktron’s Juice Extractor, Marshall’s SE100, the H&K Redbox and, of course, the PDI03.

Happily, the company soldiered on, theorising that there was still a market for high-quality signal transmitters sold at reasonable prices. By 1998 business was booming and as it struggled to meet demand, a merger with Adam Hall was on the cards. The comprehensive in-house manufacturing programme, which included printed circuit board assembly, transformer production, parts of small housing production, and even screen printing continued at Adam Hall’s headquarters in Neu-Anspach.

Having been afforded the space to grow, Palmer’s operation quickly gathered pace and in its homeland of Germany, the PPB20 signal distributor for press conferences became industry standard. More than 30 of these devices were used at the Athens Olympics in 2004 – a great year for Palmer, since it also marked the expiration of Aspen Pitman/Groove Tubes’ patent. Today, Palmer once again manufactures the PD103.

Some have expressed surprise at the device’s unwaning popularity in an age of digital signal processing, but Schmitz has a little more confidence in his device. “Let me attempt to answer with as little emotion as possible. DSP is fine for a 30-second ad. With small budgets, guitarists can even be completely substituted by a plugin. They are also okay for a top 40 band where many different sounds are needed and where nobody wants to have to drag stacks of equipment around with them. I’m not claiming that all of the audience is even able to hear the difference. But all the musicians I have talked to say that there is an interaction that takes place between amplifier, guitar and guitarist, which greatly increases the fun-factor on stage. This interaction goes missing when you use modelling devices.”

As Palmer dreams again of building the amps it once did, it continues to closely observe the market, looking out for gaps it can fill with new devices, while maintaining impeccable standards of build quality (its ratio of returns is less than ten in 1,000).

As it stands however, the company has a transformer-based solution for pretty much everything – something worth bearing in mind and, as Schmitz points out, not just where the health of audio signals is concerned. “Even if this may make you think of me as an arrogant know-it-all, it has to be said, many musicians still haven’t got it. When ground loop humming occurs, many take a piece of gaffa tape and stick it over the earth contact of the mains plug. That’s not only perilous but, of course, also forbidden, even if nothing much may ever have happened before. If you jump out of a 50-story building, nothing perilous happens either – at least for 49 stories.”
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