Is a Brunetti Bass Preamp (rated 220v) compatible with UK voltage ?

[Nostromo]

Is a Brunetti Bass Preamp (rated 220v) compatible with UK voltage ?

Hi,

I’ve been searching through previous threads in this subject area - but can’t exactly convince myself I’ve found my answers – hence this new topic.

I’ve recently picked up a second hand Brunetti Mr B Pre Amp and so contacted the original builder for a user manual. I got a nice email back from Brunetti in Italy (a nice touch I thought) together with a very very brief user guide, which, to be honest, didn’t provide much technical info. However, they did advise the following:-

[i]“The MrB is very strong and reliable preamp. The only thing that could be a problem is the line voltage. I noticed you’re writing from UK where the line supply is 240V, correct? The MrB was wired specific for 220V and this could generate some power supply problem ??”[/i]

To be honest, normally I would just assume the tolerances in modern products would take account of the 220v/240v variance between UK and Europe and just plug it in and go. However, having googled the subject, there are dozens of stories posted in different forums talking about 220v rated gear going “pop” on UK voltage, other recent online info revealing that UK voltage is routinely higher than 240v these days rather than lower (I had thought that we were harmonizing toward 230v but I read the reality is, that the UK voltage supply tends to be higher than 240v generally).

So, all this reading together with the direct health warning from Brunetti has got me wondering whether I can safely use this pre amp at all without a step-down 240v to 220v transformer ? . . I certainly don't want it to go "pop" on me ! ! !

That said I can't even find any 240v to 220v step-down transformers on line and so am wondering if they even exist ??

Any advice or experience on the general issue of running 220v gear or the specific of availability of small portable 240v to 220v stepdown transformers would be very much appreciated ?

[Passinwind]

I've worked on a Mister B bass preamp a few times for a friend who owns one. The problems were centered around overheating in the power supply, for whatever that's worth. That might lead me to be extra careful in your situation, I guess. Personally, I'd look at swapping in a correctly spec'ed transformer rather than resorting to an external one. Small toroids with a separate filament winding of sufficient current capability may not be the easiest thing to come by though.