Is it ok to run components manufactured for Japan electical in the USA - as is?
- Thread starter caesar
- Start date
US line voltage now often approaches 125V. Many power transformers in traditional hi-fi components are not happy with over-voltage. But newer designs with a SMPS (power supply) are OK with any voltage from about 100V to 270V.
Yes, you are at the risk of damaging your equipment. Mains in Japan is 100V, equipment manufactured to work in Japan can work safely at 100 +/-10%, that can be out of the US mains. Although I have a step down transformer to operate US equipment, I had to use a separate one for japanese equipment - and no, it was not a SP10, mine fortunately was 230V!
Caesar, the man of million steel questions. :b
• https://www.gearslutz.com/board/ele...er-110v-220v-affect-sound-analogue-synth.html
• https://hardforum.com/threads/what-does-a-stepdown-from-220v-to-110v-do-to-sound-quality.1177748/
• https://hydrogenaud.io/index.php/topic,56600.0.html
From several other websites on this subject, the very high consensus is NO. ...98.775%
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Surely.
Some will tell it degrades, others that it improves. As always it depends on implementation and mains quality. Remember that most people use power isolators - they are just transformers with a step ratio of 1. The main question is that most usual cheap step up/down transformers have poor quality.A well chosen transformer will NOT change the sound. However a poor transformer that is too small or the wrong voltages or mis-wired might.
For those that are skilled working with AC power a boost-buck transformer is the way to go.
I use ps audio regenerators with my Japanese or US gear, the P300 or P500 gives you a good range of voltage and HZ adjustments.
On occasions settings where 117 Volt when it should have been 100 Volt , correcting it always gave better sound.
On occasions settings where 117 Volt when it should have been 100 Volt , correcting it always gave better sound.
Transformers that step 120V down to 100V are not all that common. It's not like looking for 240V to 120V transformers, which are plentiful.
Do you have any skilled electrical friends?
Get a 18 or 20V transformer of about one fifth the power being considered and wire the secondary in series with mains in a way that it subtracts to the 120 V - you got a 100V autotransformer! (If you measure 135 V , just reverse the secondary connections).
My contractor, who did a lot of work on my house, is very skilled. But this work will only if I ever pick up a rare-to-find SET from Japan
Thank you
Even so called audiophile grade transformers when used in line with equipment will impact the sound and IME always negatively. Up & Down inverters are mostly cheap commercial products with no consideration of sound quality. Now if you’ve found a high quality one that doesn’t kill the sound I’d like to know about it.
Check Amazon for a start
!david
I also have big sl stats with vtl 750, and sweet little b7w bookshelf speakers (cant' recall the model, not silver sigs). I also have audioengine computer speakers, lol, and several high end headphones... different technologies do different things great.... I see systems as children. They are different and like them for different things (and annoy you in different ways too), but Love them all. Maybe analogy to cars is better: got your big comfy sedan to drive the family, got your suv to haul big things, got your sports car to carve the road on weekends and to possibly track, got your 600 hp gt sports car to drive around and have fun…I like different experiences; I am not after one single experience of “truth”.
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