Using a Japanese 100v turntable in UK

[Entrigo]

Quite keen on a Technics SL1200G but not too keen on the £4k price, and none seem to come up on the second hand market. But on eBay there's regularly a few from Japan selling at £2.5k new., so have been thinking about it.

The issue is that they are designed to work on 100v and ofc in the UK we have 220/230v.

Has anyone used one of these, with a step down transformer or maybe having changed the internal transformer entirely? Obviously it would void the warranty but it's a moot point as it wouldn't work in the UK anyway... But can live with that if it'd work.

Or is it really a bad idea?

 

[daytona600]

UK model 110/250v marked on the back of mine you will need a 240/100 transformer
Japan is 100v 50 & 60hz varies across the country

none seem to come up on the second hand market
only the dross comes up for resale , why would you want to sell a 1200G
unless you have £20k for a SL1000R

Nb the tax man cometh Add 20% import fees when it arrives @ UK Customs

Dropped a 50year old Technics SP10 down 3 flights of stairs a few years ago in a house move & its still working Only a complete twonk can break a technics

 

[Entrigo]

UK model 110/250v marked on the back of mine you will need a 240/100 transformer
Japan is 100v 50 & 50hz

none seem to come up on the second hand market
only the dross comes up for resale , why would you want to sell a 1200G
unless you have £20k for a SL1000R

Nb the tax man cometh Add 20% import fees when it arrives @ UK Customs

Yes, been thinking it over - once you add the 20%, count the lack of warranty, the cost and faff of a step down transformer or mod... Not worth it.

Better off waiting until a used/ex-demo one comes along or just pull the plug on a new one - unlikely I will want to upgrade this any time soon, as will have to upgrade the rest of the system bit by bit first 😉

Haha yeah the Technics build is a massive draw - the other "contender" for me is the Rega P8 - also as I have the Elex amp and Aria phono (though it hums n my system so it might go back) but the Technics is just overall much more appealing.