Triaxis 220V/240V difference

[Pete05]

I seem to have wierd problem in my Triaxis. It sounds a bit noisy (50Hz Hum) and I have a feeling of lack in gain. I have suspected the power supply capacitors but now I noticed that the transformer is wired so that the 240V node is used in the circuit board. (The thermistor is connected to 240V wire) There is also 220V wire in the circuit board but it looks like it is not connected anywhere. 230/240 is written in the large power supply cpapcitors.
I heard from the guy I bought it from that it is originally from UK. Are the UK TA:s wired to 240V and Finnish (Or most of the europe) versions with 220V?
Should I just change the thermistor from 240V node to 220V?
Has anyone noticed similar issue?

It also resets itself sometimes (Rarely), which could be caused by power supply problems.

I plan to take it to a tech but I have a gig next friday so I don't have too much time to wait.

 

[supramax]

Hei !

This issue is much related to the electric current you get through your wall outlets (assuming you do not have a Furman power conditioner og similar), and can vary a lot in different EU countries and even regions withing a country.

Here in Norway, for instance, one can measure anything from 220 through 240-250!

My best tip is to measure the current in the wall and see which you are closest to. I have never measured this myself, but the 240V setting on my Mark seems to fit just right.

 

[Pete05]

Thanks Supramax for the comment.

I received my TA from service and they said that there is nothing wrong with the unit. Ok, That is fine for me as I haven't compared it side-by-side with another TA to check that it sounds just as it should.
Anyway, what was slightly disturbing was that the guy said that the tone section is regulated and changing the transformer from the 240 wire to 220V does not have any effect to the sound. I guess the preamp-section is not regulated as the voltage is around 420V for the tubes. Only the digital part and the opamps are most likely regulated.

Have anyone noticed any differencies in the sound of the TA's with different voltage versions? (I guess that there are two options in the USA versions as well)
10% difference in the tube voltages might make a difference. After all, they have included two separate wires to enable different configurations. In my 50/50 amp the power supply is configured to 220V.

 

[Microdomus]

Have a question kind of regarding this subject: If I buy a Triaxis in the US(110V), can I use it in Norway(220-240V) without an an adapter, BUT with flipping a switch inside the unit? Only change the head of the cable and go for it?

 

[Pete05]

No, The USA and EU Triaxis have different transformers. In both of the versions it seems to have two wires for different voltages 100/120 and 220/240. So, if you buy TA from US you need to change the transformer or use a 220->110 converter.

I called to Mesa to ask about the power supply issue as it looks like the official Mesa distributor in Finland have very lazy service guy who rather lies to me than do the simple task I give him. The very friendly guy said that the wrong voltage does not affect the sound but needs to be corret so that everything works as it supposed to. The only change really is the moving of one pin of the thermal resistor. No other components need to be changed.

 

[tramp]

As a side the power here in the UK is 220 volts as it's been 'harmonised' in line with most european countries........ it's just everyone thinks it's 240 which it is not!

cheers

 

[Pete05]

Is that change done when EU is formed?
I found this link:
http://www.gbaudio.co.uk/data/mains.htm
which seems to say that the upper limit of the new voltage tolerance in EU is about the same as the upper limit of the previous UK specs.

The TA I have is from somewhere around -95 (SN32xx), so is it so that back then all the TA:s sold to UK had 240V configuration. If it is so, then all the old TA:s in UK have different voltage than the new ones. Am I really off the tracks now... :roll: