[Anders]

That is almost 13 percent overvoltage with 110 V as  a reference, and too much for long term durability. I thought that something around 115 V was a common voltage in USA.

 

[Skylab]

120V is the nominal.  My house is almost always 126V, unless it's summer and the air conditioning is running, then it's about 118V.

 

[Clayton SF]

That's interesting. I was cleaning the back of my shelves this morning and noticed that 7 of my amps and 3 DACs and 1 CD player are all set to 115V (three of them Woos). The 2 Decware amps have a 110/120 label. The only amp that has a 120V label is the Leben. Hum? =/ My apartment is a constant 120V. It's at 113V when the electric space heater is going full-on--like right now. Eek!

 

[vert]

Well, if you can get it to run safely at 110v, you've bypassed the US dealer mark up.

 

[MikeLa]

Pardon the iPhone picture, but just started to break-in the Zu Superfly's... Not exactly a dedicated listening room and it's early (less than 10 hrs), but to my ear's it sounds like the CS300xs likes the Zu's, and at 101 db they can rock too!
 

 

[Clayton SF]

Drool drool drool. Very nice. So utilitarian. So very nice. Nipper must be very happy sitting on a Zu Superfly!

 

[RedBull]

Quote:

Hi,
 
Sorry if it is not the right place to ask the question but has anybody compared the Cayin SP-10A with the Leben ? 
 

 

 
Pretty looking amp!
 
Quote:

That's interesting. I was cleaning the back of my shelves this morning and noticed that 7 of my amps and 3 DACs and 1 CD player are all set to 115V (three of them Woos). The 2 Decware amps have a 110/120 label. The only amp that has a 120V label is the Leben. Hum? =/ My apartment is a constant 120V. It's at 113V when the electric space heater is going full-on--like right now. Eek!

Wow!  7 amps!   I wish I'm your neighbor

 

[Clayton SF]

Quote:

Quote:
 
Pretty looking amp!

Wow!  7 amps!   I wish I'm your neighbor

I wish I was Skylab's neighbor!

 

[Skylab]

Hey, I only have 8 headphone amps!  But maybe they are different amps from yours

 

[vert]

So does anyone know if the North American models are just the Japanese units switched to 110v?
 
Oh, just saw Clayton's post. So what country would the 110v setting be for? I assume US?
 
I wonder if the 120v label is nominal and it's actually the Japanese units switched to 110v.
 
BTW, I found this tidbit on another audio dealer site:
 
Quote:

Overseas buyers have to use a voltage step-down transformer, which will actually improve the sound by filtering out all the high frequency noises in the AC - this is why isolation transformer based power conditioners like Richard Gray, Running Springs Audio, API etc. are so popular.

 

 

[daveDerek]

Quote:

Overseas buyers have to use a voltage step-down transformer, which will actually improve the sound by filtering out all the high frequency noises in the AC - this is why isolation transformer based power conditioners like Richard Gray, Running Springs Audio, API etc. are so popular.

 
step down transformer? if the japanese voltage is 100, and north america is 120, and much of the rest of the world is 240 wouldn't the voltage need to stepped up, not down?

 

[vert]

Yes, they were selling a 120v unit for overseas market.
 
But the interesting point is that power transformers can improve sound, instead of degrading it like most people think.

 

[daveDerek]

iirc, skylab had a 100v japanese unit w/ a transformer, and swapped it for a 120v unit. i'm not sure if he compared the two and if he reached any conclusions about what was the better set up to run in north america.

 

[Skylab]

You are stepping DOWN the 120V wall outlet voltage in the US to 100V if you are wanting to use a Japan version in the US.

I did have the Japan version at first, and I noticed no definable difference when using the step-down transformer. I always maintained that if anything, it would have benefits, but the Leben importer swears that the step-down transformer negatively impacts the sound. Of course, buying the much cheaper units from Japan for use in the US definitely negatively impacts the US Importers sales, so make what you will of his technical comments.

In any case, but my current Leben's are 120V, but not because I had any issue using the 100V ones with a transformer.

 

[Jian]

I wonder if my 220V version can be used it UK