music system synchronous motor?

Hi everyone,

I read Paul's very informative note about voltage and frequency, and was wondering how to figure out whether my music system has synchronous motors (which according to the note will determine whether or not the frequency will be a problem). It's a small Aiwa bookshelf system that I bought new in 2000 - nothing fancy, but it's really perfect for a small place and I would like to take it if I possibly can.

Thanks!

A less than 10-year-old small bookshelf system is extremely unlikely to contain any synchronous motors.   CD & cassette deck motors on these will be the types unaffected by the supply frequency. 

Even if it incorporates a record deck, the turntable motor on these small modern units is extremely unlikely to be a synchronous type running directly from the 50/60Hz supply.   Although these were the standard motors on just about all record decks for many years, they gradually fell out of widespread use on cheaper equipment during the 1980s, remaining in use only on higher-end hi-fi turntables.

By the way, have you checked the issues I noted regarding the radio tuner?

Thanks Paul! Yes, i did check the tuner issues - it is a continuous dial tuner (doesn't jump around). So i think I will buy a transformer (converter?) as you recommended and hope for the best for my music system!

Just make sure you get a proper transformer, not a cheap transformerless converter.  Two good mail-order sources:

http://www.airlinktransformers.com/
http://www.newmarket-transformers.co.uk/

That's assuming that the unit isn't switchable for 240V operation.

If your system is, as you say, nothing fancy, then if I were you I would sell or give it away and just buy a similar thing here in the UK --  we do have them, and they are just like the ones you can get in the US. They can be had for the same pound-earned value too. I would bite the bullet and just buy one here if it's a bookshelf stereo system, a hair dryer, other highly replaceable items that both countries have plenty of.

I think that going to the trouble of bringing something easily and affordably replaceable, then having to deal with voltage conversions and transformers, is more energy and money spent than necessary.

Unless a piece of US electrical equipment is something expensive to replace, hard to find an equivalent of in the UK, or for some reason important to you, leave it behind and buy the same item over here.