Theoretically, there should be little to no difference between the two, but many 'philes say 220V sounds better. I don't know personally, but the main difference is that 220V device uses half the current a similar 110V one would. This is the main reason your home's electric stove, dryer, and A/C unit use 220.
Which sounds best, 120 volts, or 240 volts?
I read all these reviews and comments that say how a new power cord can make a system sound better! Or different. With just a tiny adjustment, just a few feet of wire making audiable differences. I'm not disputing that, but it raises the question, can you hear the difference between a system powered by 120 volts here in the US, from a system in Europe that runs on 240? Surely that's a huge difference that should be immediately noticable. However it is hard to get a side by side comparison, most components needing internal adjustments to convert from one to the other, and of course the changing of input current. Different frequency too! From 60hz here to 50hz there, these have got to be major differences compared to swapping a cable? Any of you jet setters out there have an opinion on this? Do you prefer the sound on one side of the pond to the other?
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Thank you Joey for responding to my post! But I must confess that it is not as innocent of a question as it may seem. What I'm really trying to say, is that if high end power cords claim to make such huge differences in sound, when they only replace the last 5 feet of miles of wire, then there should be clearly humongous differences between devices that actually run on different kinds of current? It should be immediately noticeable to anyone who's ever heard both. I mean, one is 60hz and one is 50hz, that should be a million times larger than any geometry or metallurgy difference? But I've never heard anyone who's ever even noticed? But you say you've heard people say they prefer 220, so perhaps it does sound different? And, as I mentioned, it's hard to make an A/B comparison when you've got to change countries to do it. Personally, I invested in some high end power cords, keeping an open mind, and I gotta say, if it made a difference I didn't notice. Certainly nothing I could detect in a blind test. But there are so many who swear by it, I do try to keep an open mind, so I remain skeptical. |
joeylawn36111 ... the main difference is that 220V device uses half the current a similar 110V one would.Sorry, but this is mistaken. You're confusing current with voltage. All other things being equal, a given amplifier will draw the same amount current whether using a 240V supply or a 120V supply. |
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