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Does using a step up transformer hurt sound quality?

John Parkey

John Parkey

Member
I have the opportunity to purhase a Marantz pm52 se integrated amp, but it was made for the european market and is wired for 230 volts. Does anyone know if using a step up transformer, ie from 120 to 230 volts, affects sound quality?
 
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John Parkey said:
I have the opportunity to purhase a Marantz pm52 se integrated amp, but it was made for the european market and is wired for 230 volts. Does anyone know if using a step up transformer, ie from 120 to 230 volts, affects sound quality?
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It won't affect sound quality in the slightest.
 
Thank you Dave! So how do you size the step up transformer? It it says the amp uses 350 watts on the back, so you get one twice as big to handle the dynamic transients?
 
When I bought a transformer to use my UK (230/240v) gear in Canada (120v), I got the biggest I could afford at the time that was reasonably portable and a power capacity that well exceeded the requirements of the equipment, on the assumption that I wouldn't risk overloading it, it would run cooler, and I could power more -- or more powerful -- equipment later.
 
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John Parkey said:
I have the opportunity to purhase a Marantz pm52 se integrated amp, but it was made for the european market and is wired for 230 volts. Does anyone know if using a step up transformer, ie from 120 to 230 volts, affects sound quality?
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If you are handy with home improvement, and you are in a place to do it, perhaps running a single 240V circuit is a viable option.
 
Whoaru99, that is a great suggestion! I actually already have a single phase 220 volt outlet that I had forgotten about. The voltage in Germany is 230v, which is what is listed on the back of the Marantz, So do you think running it at 220v will be OK?
 
John Parkey said:
The voltage in Germany is 230v, which is what is listed on the back of the Marantz, So do you think running it at 220v will be OK?
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It should be fine. It might run slightly warmer if there is an actual voltage difference (there might not be), but not enough to matter.
 
John Parkey said:
Whoaru99, that is a great suggestion! I actually already have a single phase 220 volt outlet that I had forgotten about. The voltage in Germany is 230v, which is what is listed on the back of the Marantz, So do you think running it at 220v will be OK?
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I think it would be fine at 220V, but if you check the voltage I'd bet it's more like 240V; which also would be fine. Either is within 5% of the nominal rated voltage.
 
Most other countries also use a different frequency most of them at 50hz where as the U.S. is at 60hz. I know that some things running at the incorrect frequency can cause damage.
 
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Ken Boyd said:
Most other countries also use a different frequency most of them at 50hz where as the U.S. is at 60hz. I know that some things running at the incorrect frequency can cause damage.
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Amplifiers are generally fine, and the Marantz is almost certainly capable of 50hz or 60hz operation, as is most solid-state electronics gear. Some motorised gear might run at the wrong speed -- e.g., turntables -- and I had a set of Wahl clippers -- which used a simple linear oscillating motor -- made for 60hz that didn't work at all on 50hz.
 
Ken Boyd said:
Most other countries also use a different frequency most of them at 50hz where as the U.S. is at 60hz. I know that some things running at the incorrect frequency can cause damage.
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For gear with transformers, 50Hz transformers generally are fine at 60Hz, but transformers for 60Hz may run hot/overheat running at 50Hz.
 
I wasn't sure so that is why I brought up the point. I use to work on Honda generators and Honda was very strict on setting the gensets to run at a certain rpm in order that the frequency clocked at the right rate for what country you lived. We didn't want to cause damage to a customers equipment that was plugged into them.
 
DaveVoorhis said:
It won't affect sound quality in the slightest.
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I don't agree. I tried it with Audio Research systems in Cape Town SA (stepping 110V to 230V). Flattened dynamics, loss of frequency extremes. The additional coils in step-up xformers act as a choke. Contacted Bill Johnson in US and he agreed. Standard practice was to substitute new power transformers suited to the local juice.

Had the same problem in New York, trying to step-down UK Quad II amps, and trying to step-up 110V Luxman tube gear.

No problem with some components, but there were issues with amplifiers.
 
bimasta said:
I don't agree. I tried it with Audio Research systems in Cape Town SA (stepping 110V to 230V). Flattened dynamics, loss of frequency extremes. The additional coils in step-up xformers act as a choke. Contacted Bill Johnson in US and he agreed. Standard practice was to substitute new power transformers suited to the local juice.

Had the same problem in New York, trying to step-down UK Quad II amps, and trying to step-up 110V Luxman tube gear.

No problem with some components, but there were issues with amplifiers.
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There are a chain of step-up (at the power station) and step-down transformers between the power station and your house. One more, in front of the rectified and filtered DC power supply inside the amp, will not make the slightest difference unless the transformer is under-rated. Some are. I have one that I inherited; nice and heavy but the ratings indicate it's barely able to power a small light bulb. It's not capable of powering anything but the most frugal audio equipment, like a tuner.

What you experienced was either the result of a seriously under-rated transformer that was incapable of meeting the power demands of the amplifier or a psychoacoustic effect.
 
Hi All, sorry for the re-boot on this old thread but I wanted to check in with the collective wisdom here on something I am working on. I recently traded for a German made integrated that obviously is rated for 230v and rather than going the step up route I was thinking of constructing a cable to run from a (as luck would have it) nearby 15 amp 220 outlet that was installed to run a wall mounted AC unit. Usually getting around 240 here which I am not expecting to be a problem.

Is there any reason this is a bad idea? One thing that's nice is the power cord isn't captive (IEC Type Connection) so I can replace the Shuco Type F with a standard US grounded type.
I picked up some materials to assemble an adapter/extension cord, but before I dive in I wanted to see if I shouldn't be going this route for any reason.

The only thing that I am not really sure about is the difference in the way the EU wires there 230 versus here. I don't know if the way we in the U.S. have the voltage split between two legs would cause any issue for the amplifier? Given that the EU has their 230v at full potential on one side and 0 on the other does this present a problem or does the amp not "know" the difference?

I did get some good 14/3 heavy duty power cable with a 300v rating, a 6-15P plug for the existing outlet and a 6-20R for the other end so I can plug in a standard US power cable.

Would really appreciate any advice or warnings as I don't want to destroy the new amp.

Thanks everyone!
 
Thanks, have hear 2-3 times is a good bet. I was actually just wanting to double check that using 'US wired' 220 won't cause any issues with a European device.
 
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