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In the Forum: Audio Discussions
In the Thread: It’s mad, mad, mad... electricity.
Post Subject: Egg-Nishna vs 50HzPosted by jessie.dazzle on: 6/15/2007
I’ve been thinking about all this electricity stuff…
I’ve stopped using all power conditioning devices since Bush got re-elected, and I consequently left the country to start a new life in the land of 220v/50Hz (this BTW, is not an exaggeration).
The AC mains supply frequency cycles 16.5% slower here, which means, at least in theory, that we are dealing with a "more coarse" ripple (on the other hand, we don’t screw up the supply by replaying “The Air Conditioned Nightmare” every summer).
Anyway, before leaving the US, I was using a monster PS Audio P1200 set to output a steady 117v/60Hz. It was powerful enough to run a pair of M1.1s as well as all front-end components, while very effectively heating the main floor. I eventually ended up supplying it with a dedicated 220V mains supply, in effect feeding it symmetrically (?) with two 110V lines. Inside this unit there is a 110/220v selector switch for such purposes. (***See note below for those interested). I made this change and at the same time ran dedicated circuits and a dedicated ground, so yes there was a big improvement, but I don’t know how much of it was due to the fact that the P1200 was now receiving 2x110v.
What is sure, is that with regard to sound, everything fell into place. People would end up stuck to my couch (we would sit there on a Saturday night, dressed and ready to go out on the town, then end up transfixed for the next four hours, still on the couch, still wearing our cool black clothes).
Despite moving the entire system to what was a theoretically better room (proportionally) here in Europe, I was never able to equal the “enjoyment factor” of the US setup. The only difference being the room, and the fact that I was no longer using the P1200, as my US model P1200 would not accept the European 220v mains supply. The fact that all the rest of my electronics would accept the European mains supply meant that I didn't’t have to use the P1200, so I didn't’t. I then spent the next two years trying hard to get decent sound. I worked with placement and wall treatments and grounding and everything else, trying to get back a piece of the sound I had in US. I was never satisfied. There was just something completely incoherent about the sound. I found myself going out a lot more.
I eventually bought a very very big transformer to supply the P1200 with an asymmetrical 110v/50Hz. So I reset all my electronics for US voltage, and connected them back to the P1200 (outputting at 110v at 60Hz).
This arrangement still did not satisfy me.
The room is of course likely the most significant variable between the two setups; however, as mentioned, the room in Europe was theoretically far superior with regard to proportions and total volume. Nevertheless, I now believe that the relative smallness of my room in the US was actually working to my advantage (it was basically an anechoic chamber… 4” wedge… Yes the ceiling too… like walking into a library... And yes, I brought the anechoic foam with me, all the way to Eruope, and even went so far as to recreate the chamber in the old Euro place... ).
I have since moved to another house here in Europe (no faom), and have completely changed systems. The P1200 is once again in storage. In the new place I have done a very thorough job running dedicated circuits and isolating the ground, but can’t yet say if I have a problem with electricity; the old system still does not sound as good as it did in the US, and the new system is not done (nothing to locate the horns in space, and not all horns are done).
In the end, regardless of the fact that Power Regenerators are no longer in vogue, the simple fact that Europe is on 50Hz may be enough to prompt me to go out and buy a second very very large transformer, then drag the P1200 back out on to the floor and once again supply it with 2x110v, as I had been doing back in the US.
If I do conduct this experiment, I will try to respect the “Scientific Process” (could I have a bit of reverb there), posting my results here on this site... But that may be a while from now.
In the mean time, I would be interested in the thoughts of others who’ve used the 2x110v option with these sorts of devices (PS Audio or other).
Jd*
*** The fact that the P1200 US model has a 110/220v selector switch does not mean the unit can be used with European 220v/50Hz mains; the US model P1200 does not accept asymmetrical 220V… For that, PS Audio made a special export model, which I believe includes an additional transformer as the specs state that it is heavier.Rerurn to Romy the Cat's Site