AllegroKnowledgeBase™
What the Manufacturers, Distributors,
Importers and Retailers of electronics
don't want you to know:
Stepping DOWN your Mains Voltage
with a quality autoformer made for this
purpose will improve the sound quality!
* which is precisely what your local Power Co does!
Audiophiles in Europe are a lucky bunch!
You can operate USA 120-Volt electronics
(and Japan 100-Volt electronics)
on 220~240 circuits with the addition
of a step-down AC Autoformer or
Variac (Variable AC Autoformer)
rated for your mains Input voltage
and set to Output 115~120 Volts
(or 95~100 Volts for Japan domestic).
Make sure the Amperage-rating of
the Autoformer or Variac is higher
than the maximum current draw
of equipment you are powering;
the higher the rating, the better.
Some AC Autoformers output voltage
higher than indicated, so TEST the output
voltage with a True-RMS AC voltmeter.
AllegroRule#1:
Assume nothing is correct until you test it.
* Mains Frequency of 50Hz & 60Hz are interchangeable.
i.e., equipment marked "60Hz" can be operated at 50Hz
(turntables and tape decks with hysteresis-synchronous
motors that lock to the line-frequency be an exception).
Difference be Frequency of the AC, not the equipment.
(fyi, the higher the Frequency of the Mains,
the better electronics will perform & sound; i.e.,
if a power amp sounds good in Japan at 50Hz,
it will sound even better in the USA at 60Hz).
See ReForming Power Supply Capacitors
elsewhere in this section for more info.
Copyright © 2002~2009 AllegroSound (Est.1973)
Los Angeles, California USA. All rights reserved.
Mains-Voltage Around The World
COUNTRY |
VOLTAGE (V) |
FREQUENCY (Hz) |
Australia |
240 | 50 |
| Argentina | 220 | 50 |
| Bangladesh | 220 | 50 |
| Bhutan | 220 | 50 |
| Bolivia (La Paz) | 110 | 50 |
| Bolivia (elsewhere) | 220 | 50 |
| Brazil (Salvador/Manaus) | 127 | 60 |
| Brazil (Brasilia/Recife) | 220 | 60 |
| Brazil (Rio/Sao Paulo) | 110 | 60 |
| Chile | 220 | 50 |
| Canada | 120 | 60 |
| Colombia | 110 | 60 |
| Denmark | 220 * | 50 |
| Ecuador | 110 | 60 |
| Falklands (Malvinas) | 240 | 50 |
| France | 230 | 50 |
| French Guiana | 220 | 50 |
| Germany | 220 * | 50 |
| Great Britain | 230 | 50 |
| Guyana | 110 | 60 |
| Hungary | 220 | 50 |
| India | 220 | 50 |
| Iceland | 220 | 50 |
| Ireland | 220 * | 50 |
| Japan | 100 | 50 |
| Kyrgyzistan | 220 | 50 |
| Luxembourg | 110 * | 50 |
| Madagascar | 220 | 50 |
| Maldives | 220 | 50 |
| Mexico | 110 | 60 |
| Nepal | 220 | 50 |
| Netherlands | 230 | 50 |
| New Zealand | 230 | 50 |
| Norway | 230 | 50 |
| Pakistan | 220 | 50 |
| Paraguay | 220 | 50 |
| Peru | 220 | 60 |
| Philippines | 220 | 60 |
| Poland | 230 * | 50 |
Romania |
220 |
50 |
| Spain | 127/220 * | 50 |
Sri Lanka |
230/240 | 50 |
| Suriname | 110 | 60 |
| Sweden | 230 | 50 |
| Switzerland | 220/240 | 50/60 |
Taiwan |
110 | 60 |
| Uruguay | 220 | 50 |
| United Kingdom | 230 | 50 |
U.S.A. |
120 | 60 |
former U.S.S.R. |
127/220 |
50 |
Venezuela |
110 |
60 |
From 1 January 2004 the mains supply should be 230V (-5%, +6%), 50 Hz.
Please help support this site with a contribution and referral
AllegroSound (Est.1973)
Los Angeles, California USA
Rick@AllegroSound.com
FOR SALE - TRADE
HOME / Master-Index
* AllegroSound et al assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of products, services, info, etc.
