Bottlehead Forum

General Category => Technical topics => Topic started by: Jphillips on October 02, 2023, 04:37:55 AM

Title: Step down transformer that also adjusts frequency?
Post by: Jphillips on October 02, 2023, 04:37:55 AM

Hey all -- i'm not sure if this is the best place to post this, but after relocating to the UK I'm trying to find a good step-down transformer that also regulates the voltage (from 50 to 60hz). Seemingly this is difficult to do, as most don't offer this capability. But my turntable motor is AC, so the frequency difference is likely to affect the speed.

Any suggestions?

Title: Re: Step down transformer that also adjusts frequency?
Post by: Paul Birkeland on October 02, 2023, 05:47:42 AM

Yeah a step-down transformer by definition can't adjust for frequency.  What you are looking for would be referred to as a regenerator.  What is the turntable in question?  Often times there is either a motor controller available or a completely different motor made for 50Hz operation.

Title: Re: Step down transformer that also adjusts frequency?
Post by: Jphillips on October 02, 2023, 06:09:16 AM

Thanks Paul. It's the motor to the Marantz TT-15s1, https://www.marantz.com/en-gb/product/turntables/tt-15s1.

I have no problem jerry-rigging a separate motor in place, or adding some other sort of regular to control things if you have any ideas. It's a separate standalone motor so it would be easy enough to swap out.

Title: Re: Step down transformer that also adjusts frequency?
Post by: Paul Birkeland on October 02, 2023, 06:30:41 AM

There was/is a 50hz pulley for that turntable.  You would want to get one and trade that out for your 60Hz pulley, then you could use a simple step-down transformer successfully.