Stereo power usage

Piwoslaw · 06-02-09, 06:57 AM

How much power does your stereo need?

We have a Philips FW350C mini hifi system (2 tapes+3 CDs+radio). It uses about 15-18W when playing a CD, 12W for radio, but a whooping 10W when off!! That's a big phantom load, and since we use it for only a few minutes every few days it's usually unplugged.

Daox · 06-02-09, 08:30 AM

I've read and heard that car stereo systems also take little power (when you're not blasting a sub woofer). Interesting to see such a phantom load. What the heck does an amp need power for whiles it off?

Piwoslaw · 06-02-09, 12:31 PM

The clock?

NiHaoMike · 06-02-09, 02:08 PM

Look into TI's hybrid digital technology for efficiency. I actually built an amplifier based on that technology and at normal listening levels, it only uses one watt!
http://ecorenovator.org/forum/applia...ome-audio.html

06-02-09, 06:57 AM	#1
Piwoslaw Super Moderator Join Date: May 2009 Location: Warsaw, Poland Posts: 961 Thanks: 188 Thanked 110 Times in 86 Posts	Stereo power usage How much power does your stereo need? We have a Philips FW350C mini hifi system (2 tapes+3 CDs+radio). It uses about 15-18W when playing a CD, 12W for radio, but a whooping 10W when off!! That's a big phantom load, and since we use it for only a few minutes every few days it's usually unplugged.

06-02-09, 02:08 PM	#4
NiHaoMike Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,154 Thanks: 14 Thanked 257 Times in 241 Posts	Look into TI's hybrid digital technology for efficiency. I actually built an amplifier based on that technology and at normal listening levels, it only uses one watt! http://ecorenovator.org/forum/applia...ome-audio.html __________________ To my surprise, shortly after Naomi Wu gave me a bit of fame for making good use of solar power, Allie Moore got really jealous of her...

06-02-09, 08:30 AM	#2
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	I've read and heard that car stereo systems also take little power (when you're not blasting a sub woofer). Interesting to see such a phantom load. What the heck does an amp need power for whiles it off?

06-02-09, 12:31 PM	#3
Piwoslaw Super Moderator Join Date: May 2009 Location: Warsaw, Poland Posts: 961 Thanks: 188 Thanked 110 Times in 86 Posts	The clock?