boricua2480 Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 I don't know much about this topic and I'm about to pull the trigger on an amp but it's not located in the U.S. and states 230 volt so I'm making sure before I purchase that it'll actually work in my home. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungkiman Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 At the least, I'd think you'll need a step down transformer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsoncookie Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 (edited) Start learning here - http://www.220-electronics.com/voltage-converters-transformers.html http://www.220-electronics.com/voltage-converter-buying-guide.html I would just start there, being skeptical. Make sure you learn about the 50 - 60 hz difference and if it matters for your application. I'd really do the due diligence thing here, being mostly concerned with possible noise being added. Hopefully someone w direct experience will answer here. Lars Edited July 23, 2016 by Karsoncookie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsoncookie Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 (edited) More info, kinda scary --- Would probably change my mind to buy a USA voltage unit rather than the European -- Be aware this website is in Australia, so it's talking about using like a 120v item on their 220 50hz power. http://sound.westhost.com/articles/50-60hz.htm Lars Edited July 23, 2016 by Karsoncookie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsoncookie Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 (edited) I this was like a Blender, or certainly like a Toaster that is nothing more than a heating element, I'd be totally fine getting a converter. Audio component, I dunno, I would be very cautious. . Lars Edited July 23, 2016 by Karsoncookie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boricua2480 Posted July 24, 2016 Author Share Posted July 24, 2016 Damn, see that's why I ask. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babadono Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 What amp are you looking at? All(OK most) houses in the USA have 230V wired to them. Think electric dryer, electric oven etc.. You would have to have electrician put in a special circuit for you. Or you could use a step up transformer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsoncookie Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 (edited) I feel so embarrassed I did not think of the above fact. Perfect example of "in the box" restricted thinking. I think babadono may be correct, it may just be a simple 230v ckt from your panel. Same as a 230 ckt to feed a large window AC. Dryer, Range, Water Heater, etc. NOT that you need the higherish Amps of the above, , but the Voltage. It MAY be that simple, BUT ---- Make sure the "waveform" like scope reading is what you need "same" as European. And you still have the 50 - 60 HZ difference if it matters or not ---- to check out. But still, WHY ? overall, WHY screw with this questionable stuff when MANY USA voltage components are available. ?????????????????????? Lars Edited July 25, 2016 by Karsoncookie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 (edited) But still, WHY ? overall, WHY screw with this questionable stuff when MANY USA voltage components are available. ?????????????????????? Lars Follow the money. The OP's vague question has me wondering if he's looking at a Lab Gruppen FP1400 clone amp from China. I read some discussion on it at avs.com in passing interest, but I don't know anything about it. It boasts 14,000 watts into 4 ohm, price for the amp at the time was around $750. That will spike your electric bill. Edited July 25, 2016 by wvu80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Richard Posted August 6, 2016 Share Posted August 6, 2016 On 7/25/2016 at 2:28 AM, Karsoncookie said: And you still have the 50 - 60 HZ difference if it matters or not ---- to check out. 50Hz equipment will work fine on 60Hz, as long as it doesn't use a synchronous motor (turntable or tape deck). 60 Hz equipment may work on 50Hz power but the power transformer will run warmer, or even hot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djk Posted August 9, 2016 Share Posted August 9, 2016 "50 Hz equipment may work on 60Hz power but the power transformer will run warmer, or even hot. " Backwards, 60 Hz equipment may work on 50Hz power but the power transformer will run warmer, or even hot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDBRbuilder Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 You all are NOT thinking out of the box, so here goes: The equipment is actually 12 volts DC. That is, everything inside the unit PAST the power transformer is 12 Volts DC, or stepped DOWN from 12 volts DC. So, the easy way is to just bypass the current power transformer INSIDE of the unit with a power transformer that is CORRECT for the AC at the correct cycles that is available where the unit will be used. It is really an EASY fix. ANY competent electronics guy can make this happen for you. He can do one of two things: Either have an OUTOBOARD power transformer of the right kind that bypasses the one INSIDE the unit, OR...he can replace the one inside with the correct one needed, and if he replaces the one inside, then he may as well replace it with a multi-use "international" power transformer so that it can be used ANYWHERE. Some of these "international" units have switch settings for voltage and/or cycles, and some of them don't NEED switch settings, because they adjust to what is going into them. The cycles are not really that big of a deal UNLESS you are running something with an AC motor, but MOST motors in stereo equipment are 12 volts DC, so this is again a non-issue. There was a time when major electronics companies made international versions that only needed a switch or two on the rear to be used anywhere....and SOME of them didn't even have the switches, but had a "plug" kind of thing that you just pulled out and rotated until the cycles and voltage labeled marks lined up, then plugged them back in. Technics had this type of system on many of its "international" items back in the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babadono Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 1 hour ago, HDBRbuilder said: The equipment is actually 12 volts DC. That is, everything inside the unit PAST the power transformer is 12 Volts DC, or stepped DOWN from 12 volts DC. Ahhh...how do you know this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDBRbuilder Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 13 hours ago, babadono said: Ahhh...how do you know this? Because that is what the power transformer/converter inside the unit does, it changes the alternating current (A/C) to direct current (D/C) and which is 12 volts D/C. That is why it is easily possible to just bypass the transformer/converter on most all stereo equipment (some very old equipment from the 1950's and earlier my be using 6 volts D/C, though!) and run everything from 12 volts D/C, such as in cars and motorhomes. Numerous high-end motorhomes back in the day actually had reel-to-reel machines inside them...by just bypassing the inner power transformer/converter and running 12 volts D/C into them. Look at the schematic for your equipment and it will show you this. Things like the wheat bulbs are often 1.5 volts or something like that, but that is because the power to those items is stepped down further from the 12 volts D/C that runs most everything else, to INCLUDE the direct drive motors on the vast majority of direct-drive turntables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babadono Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 ^Building upon my 36+ years in the electronics industry and my 40+ years as an audio hobbyist let me just say you are mistaken. If everything ran off 12 volts the only power supply there would be would be a 12 volt supply. I am looking right now at a very meager 4 channel 20 watt per channel Yamaha power amp on my bench. Its schematic says the power supply puts out + and - 36 volts for a total of 72 volts. No way could this run off 12 volts unless it had a DC to DC converter that took in 12 volts and put out +/- 36 volts. Tube amplifiers require voltages in excess of 300 volts DC. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDBRbuilder Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 34 minutes ago, babadono said: ^Building upon my 36+ years in the electronics industry and my 40+ years as an audio hobbyist let me just say you are mistaken. If everything ran off 12 volts the only power supply there would be would be a 12 volt supply. I am looking right now at a very meager 4 channel 20 watt per channel Yamaha power amp on my bench. Its schematic says the power supply puts out + and - 36 volts for a total of 72 volts. No way could this run off 12 volts unless it had a DC to DC converter that took in 12 volts and put out +/- 36 volts. Tube amplifiers require voltages in excess of 300 volts DC. Ok, I can concede that, but the major point I was trying to MAKE has to do with the ability/inability of somebody to change out the transformer in a unit to take international A/C power or to take a different A/C power? Can or cannot a competent person like yourself, with all that electronics experience, solve the problem this guy is worried about with his amp simply by replacing something INSIDE the amp? And can or cannot that be something that allows him to use it anywhere, as long as he has the correct adapter to plug in? On pretty much anything BESIDES a POWER AMP section, how many volts are used from its power supply (not including tubed items, or stuff made prior to Solid State era)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babadono Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 @boricua2480 Yes POSSIBLY the transformer could be changed out to run off 115 volts instead of 230. But why? Just run it off the 230 that is PROBABLY in your house already which is what my first post in this thread suggested. Did the OP ever come back and tell us what he did? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksonbart Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 So they OP would need to listen to his amp in the laundry room then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babadono Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 No, on Pluto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woofers and Tweeters Posted October 23, 2016 Share Posted October 23, 2016 On 10/18/2016 at 4:38 PM, jacksonbart said: So they OP would need to listen to his amp in the laundry room then He could, or at the stove in the kitchen or... Actually, the amp draw will be favorable if he could use the 230v. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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