120V or 240V

A third possible difference, that I should have included in my previous post:

3)Leakage currents between the ac input and chassis/circuit ground in the amp, that might flow through parasitic capacitances or resistances in the power transformer, would be greater with 240V applied than with 120V. I would expect those currents to most likely be insignificant, but if there were any significance it would be in the direction of favoring 120V.

-- Al

If the resale value is much greater in europé for à 240v than 120v in us, the 240v might be a better investment, in economic terms, not necessarily in convenience though.

I heard the Kraft 400 last year and was blown away. I am very partial to tube amplifiers, but the SL was the first amp that could compete... DRV

Symphonic Line Kraft 400 .. wow!!!.. whatta fantastic Amps!!!!
I can understand you .. DRV... I listened one time in Milano .. and your comparison to tube amps sound is totally true!

A third possible difference, that I should have included in my previous post:

3)Leakage currents between the ac input and chassis/circuit ground in the amp, that might flow through parasitic capacitances or resistances in the power transformer, would be greater with 240V applied than with 120V. I would expect those currents to most likely be insignificant, but if there were any significance it would be in the direction of favoring 120V.
01-07-10: Almarg

Al, I was thinking the same thing..... Wonder what effect equipment fed from 240V as well as 120V connected together by ics would be? Possibly a greater chance of a ground loop?
Jim

Good point, Jim, and that does seem conceivable to me, especially if the interconnects to this amp are single-ended (I don't know if they are single-ended or balanced).

With the amps running off of 240V, both sides of the primary of the power transformer in each amp would be 120V removed from chassis and circuit ground, conceivably increasing the degree to which leakage currents would tend to affect chassis potential, at least at noise frequencies and perhaps at hum frequencies as well. And with the preamp powered by 120V, the ac safety ground wiring would be unlikely to be effective at keeping the amp and preamp chassis at the same potential, because the inductance and resistance of the run between each component and the electrical panel is in that path. So the likelihood of inter-chassis noise currents flowing through the interconnect shields would seem to be increased.

So of the several factors we've identified that could conceivably result in sonic differences between the 120V and 240V versions, the majority of them point in the direction of the 120V version sounding better. Not that that means too much, of course; the only way to judge would be via carefully controlled listening comparisons.

Best regards,
-- Al