[gz76]

I need to get myself a stepdown transformer (going from 240v to 110v), so was wondering if people here had much experience with these in audio applications. Is there anything I need to be aware of? Any specific product recommendations? Personal experiences to share? Best place to buy in Australia? Is a basic unit like these available from Jaycar (1, 2) suitable, or do I need something more specialised?

Stepdown transformer will be used to power a new phono stage. I believe it draws 60w.

 

[Absorbine_Sr]

I ran one here in the States but for the opposite power requirements. I needed to convert 110v to 240v to power a Musical Fidelity Xray V3 CD Player. I used the following:

VOLTAGECONVERTERS.COM - Item Description Page - VC300W

I never noticed any noise added into the rig because of this transformer, and several people who listened to it at meets said it didn't. I wonder if a phono stage might have more sensitivity to this? No idea myself.

A_Sr.

 

[Solan]

I just searched this question because I am in Europe, running a stepdown transformer to a Japanese amp (100V). There actually is some noise in my set-up, but not audio noise. The physical transformers themselves (in the stepdown, and in the amp PSU) are humming, though at a very low volume. I have contacted Airlink in the UK, who I bought the transformer from, and they say this is due to either excessive voltage or DC excess in my mains. They suggested an isolating transformer, placed in a different room. As I understood it, the isolating transformer would then "take" the hum and indeed itself be humming (which is why it needs to be in another room), but send pure AC on to the next stage, thus eliminating the humming problem where it matters.

And just to repeat here at the end: there is no audio noise.