OUTPUT TRANSFORMER PREPARATION
If we want our preamp module to have a balanced output, with the possibility of 6 dBu additional headroom/max gain, then we will need to install an output transformer. Whichever output transformer you’ve purchased, it is bound to have extra long leads (connecting wires). They will need to be trimmed to length, and then have their tips stripped and tinned for soldering. This process is explained in the following photographs.
Fig. 68 Bend the transformer leads over to the opposite side, and trim them about 5/8" past the edge of the lam stack (stack of flat metal pieces).
Fig. 69 Leads are now cut to length. Discard the scraps.
Fig. 70 Use your wire strippers to remove a small portion of the colored plastic jacket at the end of each wire lead.
Fig. 71 The transformer leads are now stripped and ready to be tinned. Be careful not to fray the tiny individual strands of wire exiting each lead. Twist them with your fingertips together for rigidity.
Fig. 72 Apply solder to the exposed wire tips. This is called "tinning", and aids in soldering to the PCB later on.
Fig. 73 All transformer wire leads are now prepped, and we're ready to proceed.
