Help with voltage on amp

Thanks Herman, as Sean implies, we all keep on learning!

Thanks for the clarification Herman. I guess we all learned something on that one : ) Sean
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Thanks for the help. It does say 100 volts on the back. The cord is a standard two prong cord. I will check with accuphase, then check with a local service technician. Any more info would be nice. Thanks again

Well everybody is partly correct. The voltage in Japan is 100 volts. The eastern half of the island is 50 hertz and the western half is 60 hertz. Those are facts.

The rest is an educated guess. I assume it is designed to function properly on either 50 or 60 Hertz so they don't have to build 2 models for the Japanese market. Unless there is a fan or motor in it that is frequency dependent that is simple to do. They probably configure US models for 120 volts. It may be as simple as moving a few wires on the power transformer, which any compotent tech should be able to do. Hopefully it isn't a different transformer but that would be very unusual. I also assume that it would be better to have the unit configured for the proper voltage or it would not be labeled 100 volts.

Sean, I believe in Japan the powerline cycles at 60hz, so that should not be a problem.

Amp stability, gain characteristics, reliability, etc... can all be drastically effected by line voltage. If we were talking a few volts here, it would not matter. As such, you are talking about a 20% increase from what you'll probably have to what they are calling for. If the amp is well built ( which i'm sure that it is ) and fully regulated, it may not be a problem. It could be that it was simply an oversight from the manufacturer and will run fine at 110 / 120 VAC.

You might also want to look and see if it is rated for 50 Hz, 60 Hz, etc... operation. If it is anything but 60 Hz, you do need to have the unit checked out as it was not built / designed for the U.S. market. Sean
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I agree with Detlof option #2 & #3 for the most part. In my opinion the piece would probably handle the 120volts OK. I am all the time plugging things that say 220 on them into circuits carrying 240volts. 100 is a very strange nameplate rating. Are you sure it doesn’t say 120? Just to be on the safe side a quick call to the factory couldn't hurt. There may be a multi tap transformer inside that can be re-configured to except the higher voltage. (As mentioned above)

Is the cord cap a standard polarized three prong?

In my opinion it will hurt your amp, if you run it on a 120VAC line. There are several possibilities open to you:
1. Get yourself a transformer, which will transform your current down to 100VAC and plug your amp into that. See to it, that the transfomer delivers enough power to drive your amp. Doing that though, may sometimes degrade the sound. You'll have to experiment.
2. Send it to Accuphase, but I doubt that they will pleased to service a unit, which has been imported past their noses.
3. The best bet in my opinion: Have a trained service technician look at it. If you're lucky, the conversion is nothing but changing a few wires around on the amp's transformer or throwing an internal switch.