Step down transformers detrimental to SQ?

 @erik_squires 
  Excel Audio has 505's for $2,600

I ordered one last week, arriving today.
  

Agree you DO need to use a step down transformer for a 100V AC device. As long as the transformer is rated well above the actual draw of the device it will work fine. Say the device draws 0.5 amps. If your step down is designed to handle 1.0 amps, or even better 2.0 amps.. your power will be strong.If you use a transformer rated for 0.2 amps.. then yeah you are gonna be starving the device and overheating the transformer!

Its also possible to step down the AC voltage by doing an old DIYer trick which is to buck the AC line voltage.

This is done with a smaller transformer that has a secondary rated for the current you need (50% more than the fuse rating is good) and the difference in voltage. Since most homes are at 120Volts these days, that's a transformer with a 20Volt output at however many amps your amp needs.
The primary of the transformer runs off of regular wall voltage. The secondary is put in series with the AC line going to the amp. You have to try the secondary hookup both ways- one way will buck the voltage up 20 volts (adds to the line voltage) the other way will subtract 20 volts which is what you want.

The result is a much smaller and less expensive transformer can be used but you have to know more about how to use it. There are always tradeoffs...

interesting Georgehifi on the 1:1 that may be useful for DC blocking. DC on the line can cause transformer mechanical hum.

Yes also RF as well.

Cheers George

+1 atmasphere, I have used a bucking transformer and it's a very clean solution to the problem, but if I recall mine only dropped the voltage around 14V, not 20V.