[hipster79]

Hi All,

I've been looking into buying a pair of STAX SRS-3050A from Price Japan and noticed that you can include a Churi CCW100W(voltage transformer) with the purchase. Now I know that I can get an international version STAX SRS-3050II but the Aus store that stocks this is asking for $2500 as opposed to $912+(transformer) for it. that's ~$1500 ($1300US). How does that make any sense?

Anyway, I guess other than my bitching about the price discrepency, the questions I have are

a) does the weak link in the stax headphone system become the Churi CCW100W voltage converter and will it affect the sound?
b) what is a good transformer to use for this system?

 

[tk3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hipster79 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi All, I've been looking into buying a pair of STAX SRS-3050A from Price Japan and noticed that you can include a Churi CCW100W(voltage transformer) with the purchase. Now I know that I can get an international version STAX SRS-3050II but the Aus store that stocks this is asking for $2500 as opposed to $912+(transformer) for it. that's ~$1500 ($1300US). How does that make any sense? Anyway, I guess other than my bitching about the price discrepency, the questions I have are a) does the weak link in the stax headphone system become the Churi CCW100W voltage converter and will it affect the sound? b) what is a good transformer to use for this system?

The price difference is just because of the importing business making a buck, it's the same thing in many countries outside Japan.

The step down converter probably won't have any significant effect on the sound quality, I've used it with the AT-HA5000 that also runs on 100v, and didn't run into any problems.
Many people use the Japanese versions with step down converters and are happy with them, so don't worry about that.

 

[Nikita]

Risk of electrocution (cos Stax are electrostatic earspeakers) with a 220 V to 110 V transformer ?

The voltage converter affect the SQ ? Have you any exemples of nice voltage converters ? Thanks.

 

[webbie64]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikita /img/forum/go_quote.gif Risk of electrocution (cos Stax are electrostatic earspeakers) with a 220 V to 110 V transformer ? The voltage converter affect the SQ ? Have you any exemples of nice voltage converters ? Thanks.

Nikita,

Hi.

I'm in Sydney. Plenty of electrostatic gear, some run off US power using a stepdown AC/AC adapter.

Basically it means you plug the adapter/converter into our standard 240Volts outlet and at the other end of the adapter/converter is a 120Volt outlet in the standard US Plug format. If you need a different plug format you can use an adapter, available at Woolworths, Dick Smith, etc.

All of this is just at the power end. Implemented correctly (as described) it means your equipment will be running just as if you had equipment already configured for our 240Volts. Any possible SQ differences would likely be extremely minimal, if at all.

In terms of 'nice' converters there are arguments that a true AC-2-AC converter is the better ways to go (I forget what the other type is but you could goggle it easy enough) and I just bought one of those. Yes, there are audiophile versions available supposedly but I find the standard ones you can get on EBay here to be quite fine. You just need to ensure you've got one that will handle the wattage required by all your US powered equipment (I run a DAC, an Amp and some small power chargers for portable amps with a 500 Watt converter with no worries).

So there is no difference at the electrostatic charge end of your headphone/earspeaker. And definitely no electrocution fears.

 

[Nikita]

Thanks for the precision !

But, if one day, the converter is damaged and ineffective ?

 

[webbie64]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikita /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for the precision ! But, if one day, the converter is damaged and ineffective ?

Well what do you do if one of your little power supplies for your mobile phone or your portable player stops working? Get another one - preferably a better one.

Seriously, though, it is just like any power converter/transformer from that perspective. You replace it. You hope it didn't damage the equipment it was supplying (which in your scenario is highly unlikely as I'd anticipate the amp would have a fuse should there be excess power ever inadvertantly supplied).

And, of course, you're referring to what is likely, in all probability, to be a relatively rare occuranece. There's many of us using converters around the world - and not just for HiFi/HeadFi!

 

[Nikita]

Thanks a lot !

 

[hipster79]

Hi all,

thanks Webbie and tk3 for the informative responses. I remember back when I started buying hifi equipment which was 10 years ago now, that buying from overseas would mean a savings of hundreds of dollars, but was always set back because of voltage transformers in Australian costing in the hundreds as well, which effectively rendered that saving useless.

Anyway, Webbie, are you able to recommend the transformers that you use, (ie brands, models....etc) and where to buy them from?

Cheers

 

[webbie64]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hipster79 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Anyway, Webbie, are you able to recommend the transformers that you use, (ie brands, models....etc) and where to buy them from?

I've been buying from Waterside Trading Co (eBay Feedback Profile for watersidetradingco) but their EBay feedback appear to have stopped in January, along with them trading. Perhaps taking a break? Perhaps stopped trading? You could try contacting them to see if they can still supply or not - http://contact.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayIS...off&redirect=0

 

[donunus]

I live in the philippines and we have 220 volts here. Now if I use a step down transformer that converts to 110 volts, would that be fine with the 100 volt staxes? Or do I have to get their converter?

 

[duncan1]

I dont think 10V is going to make a big difference to the Staxs running. Under load at peak periods  in the UK in the country the 239V I measure goes down to 230V and everything still works okay. In the cities the 230V goes down as well to around 220V.There will be a slight increase of output voltage  depending on the Stax power supply but thats it. Unless of coarse    Spritzer knows different.I have 2 step-down transformers - 1- original step-down to 100V made in Japan and a  US step -down transformer from 240V to 110V  and both can operate equipment meant for 100V. If you take mains fluctuations into account  -10V isnt much.--- Just add  can you not re-adjust the mains tappings at the input to the mains transformer or is it the new ones that cant be changed?

 

[donunus]

I was talking about a straight coil type transformer. no way of changing anything except by changing the winding inside. Anyway, the reason why I originally asked this question is because audiocubes 2 for example includes a 120/110 volt to 100 volt converter. I mean why would they do that if there wasn't a need? Here is the link where they include the converters for example... http://www.audiocubes2.com/product_info.php/manufacturers_id/18/products_id/603?osCsid=3c2b1bdb0a1ac3d32eb63617eacea10d
 
It says at the bottom... 

1. Accessories
2. Free voltage transformer to convert electricity in destination country (110~120V or 220~240V) to 100V.

 

[duncan1]

If you mean by "straight coil" a mains transformer  with a PRIMARY and SECONDARY     winding thats what I was talking about. If you are talking of a VARIAC which is a SINGLE "straight coil" with an adjustable control then that would do the job.The   "free" voltage transformer is in the companies commercial interests so that it can sell its products anywhere in the World. It does mean and prove that the product is set at a single voltage.=100V being the Japanese voltage . 110-120V US voltage and 220-240 UK and the EU voltage.

 

[donunus]

I mean I can see one purchasing the 220 to 100 volt if they didn't have the step down transformer but why a 110 to 100 volt Anyways I just had to ask because I didn't want to fry a brand new stax if i got one.

 

[duncan1]

If you want to be really cautious then measure your mains electricity  at 6PM and then measure it when everybody is at work. But any transformer with a primary/secondary will only change the voltage by the ratio it is wound at . So if your voltage is say 200V then a transformer with a 2:1 ratio will reduce it to 100V. But mains voltage varies so the output voltage will vary.anyway. So 10V isnt going to blow your Stax --UNLESS your mains voltage is way  OTT.