This post is more for information purposes than anything else. But feel free to add on if you have had any interesting experiences.
Singapore uses UK BS 1363 type of sockets for our household mains. That wasn't really a problem when I started out in hi-fi many years ago, until aftermarket power cords started to appear. We had a sprinkling of audiophile power cords terminated with UK plugs, but most of the stuff hitting our shores were terminated with US ones.
You could re-terminate your cords with UK plugs, or make your own using of-the-reel audiophile cables, but the problem is that few UK plugs are friendly to the garden hose thick cables we audiophiles like to use. Furutech does make a UK 1363 plug that can accommodate very thick cables and large gauge conductors, but they are expensive.
Since an audiophile has to do what an audiophile has to do, you ended up with a few options,
1. Use 1363 sockets and plugs
Your world of available cords and AC distributors shrinks overnight. Some guys start whining about the additional contact points of the switches, the horrible effect of the mains fuse etc.
You break up in cold sweat in the middle of the night - you just had this recurring nightmare of being banished to audiophile hell - all the records and equipment to play with, but no a single power socket in sight. It was enough to make a grown man cry.
I actually don't think this is as bad as people make it out to be. UK plugs and sockets have really beefy blades and contacts.
2. Use a AC distributor with universal sockets
A compromise of sorts - you still use your existing UK socket mains outlet, but the universal sockets allow you to experiment with US power cords, and still plug in UK type cords, or circular two pin plugs.
If you didn't have any nightmares, you should ! As my daughter was fond of saying when she was young, "Naughty no no !". Polarity nightmare in the making - looking down at the socket, the live pin of a UK socket is on the right, while for a US one, it is one the left (assuming the earth socket is on top). Mix UK and US sockets, and you will have a delightful mix of equipment wired in correct and incorrect polarity.
3. Use a UK to US adapter at the wall
Again, because of the polarity differences, this usually results in your US plug in reversed polarity. You can get adapters with corrected polarity, but these aren't really that common. Most of those I've encountered have a fuse. In any event, these adapters do impair the sound.
4. Change your wall socket to a US type receptacle
So you end up skipping the switch and the fuse. Changing your wall socket to a US type can be either straightforward or a nightmare. If you have the typical HDB wall socket (with the box sticking out of the wall), this is quite easy to change. Some hifi dealers set metal or plastic faceplates that replace your existing faceplate with cutouts for US receptacles. If your box is built into the wall, this can be a little tricky due to insufficient mounting depth.
BTW, you can also save yourself a lot of grief by converting a double gang UK outlet to a US one. Single gang UK outlets are generally too small to fit US receptacles. Them mickey mouse ears (the mounting tabs) get in the way. I've had the misfortune of breaking off the mounting tabs only to find that they still couldn't fit properly.
Oh, and for heaven's sake, get professional help if you don't know how to do it yourself. Play safe. And remember, not all electricians will do this for you - it's not permitted by local regulations.
Remember folks, you are now counting on your circuit breaker at your main electrical panel to handle a current overload. If you ask around, you will probably get a lot of "advice" telling you how safe this practice is. They will remind you that the equipment fuse is a lot smaller than the 13 amp fuse in a UK plug. Sure. What if the fault develops in the cable from your wall to distributor ?
Remember, this is not legal, and if anything goes wrong your insurance company could refuse to pay out if they found out. Do this solely at your own risk.
