Ornec - anyone used before?

Cheers T-Bone - This won't be till late Jan/early early Feb, so you'll be waiting a while!

Starting to look at NOS tube replacements already as I'm sure the supplied tubes will be rough as a badger's. Gonna be expensive though - £550 ish :-(

Well, seeing as absolutely no-one is willing to sell theirs, I had to pay up. The guy selling it said it was as good as his $25k Accuphase two-boxer and was very reluctant to sell it.

In the end, I'm only saving £60 on the cattylink price, but I can at least be sure its not a lemon, and won't have any import tax/shipping damage issues.

Just got to find somewhere to put the damn thing

DT

 

LinearMan,

Can you tell me what the voltage rating is on the back of your player? Mine says 220V +/- 10%, which doesn't sound good. I assume the latest CE apporved jobbies are genuine 240V?

PLease let me know.

DT

Haven't fired her up yet - will get some serious listening done tonight hopefully.

 

I thought we ran on 230v. +10% on 220v is just over 240v so it is quite okay.

 

You would be incrorrect then. There was the usual EU nonsense some years back when we agreed to harmonise at 230V. This was the usual fudge. I quote from the IEE 16th edition regs:


"For many years the supply voltage for single-phase supplies in the UK has been 240V +/- 6%, giving a possible spread of voltage from 226V to 254 V. For three-phase supplies the voltage was 415 V +/- 6%, the spread being from 390 V to 440V. Most continental voltage levels have been 220/380V.

In 1988 an agreement was reached that voltage levels across Europe should be unified at 230V single phase and 400V three-phase with effect from January 1st, 1995. In both cases the tolerance levels have become -6% to +10%, giving a single-phase voltage spread of 216 V to 253 V, with three-phase values between 376V and 440 V. It is proposed that on January 1st, 2003 the tolerance levels will be widened to +/- 10%.

Since the present supply voltages in the UK lie within the acceptable spread of values, Supply Companies are not intending to reduce their voltages in the near future. This is hardly surprising, because such action would immediately reduce the energy used by consumers (and the income of the Companies) by more than 8%.

In view of the fact that there will be no change to the actual voltage applied to installations, it has been decided not to make changes to the calculations in this book. All are based on the 240/415V supply voltages which have applied for many years and will continue so to do."

So, we're still on 240V -6/+10 going to -10/+10. If you measure your voltage you will probably find it in the region of 242-245V. A 220V +/- 10% transformer would, theoretically, operate from 198V to 242V. Thus, in almost all cases in the UK it would be at the limit of its specifcation and, more often than not, be operating outside spec. (as UK real voltage varies from appx 226V to 264V). This over voltage will affect operating life causing premature failure and also noise, in my experience.

Many Chinese manufacturers have had many problems with reliability issues centred on incorrect spec. mains transformers. You may well have no problems, but insist on a 240V/50Hz spec if at all possible!

 

Folks,

On the advice of forum members and a strong recommendation from the distributor, I will be investing in a 220V converter to feed my Chinese equipment regulated voltage.

It isn't absolutely necessary to make the kit work, but it does seem foolhardy to spend so much on kit that isn't designed to work on 240V only to have it prematurely aged or damaged.

It just seems like common sense to me, especially as the cost, both in absolute terms and in context of my system, is very reasonable. Even including the converter, the cost is still 50-60% of the official UK prices. Enough of a discount to make the hassle worthwhile IMO.

DT

P.S. Linearman, I'm very impressed with CD-E5. I was expecting it to be disappointing, especially after all the hype it has received. Bass is absolutely superb on this deck. Timbre, decay, imaging & seperation are all excellent too. Absolute bargain of the year IMO.

 

I'm glad that you like it ~ it really is very good, isn't it? As you say, a serious bargain, one which most will never get to hear.