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Cost of running a tube amp.

Hey guys. (Any gals out there read this stuff?!!!)

I have long wondered about the power draw of my Cary SLI80 integrated amp.
The transformers get so hot that it is almost painful to touch them!

So I dusted off this old "Kill a watt" power measurement tool that I bought on a whim years ago and never used.

The Cary is using around 200 watts. A kilowatt every 5 hours.
It is the same whether it is playing music or on standby.

Here in Manhattan I am paying Con Edison around 30 cents per kwh total including transmission, generation, taxes, etc.
6 cent per hour to run the amp.
A long day would cost close to a dollar.
I think that where I used to live in the SF Bay Area I paid 15 cents or maybe 20 total per kw. Some parts of the U.S. pay a lot less.

Ok so running my amp is like running two 100 watt light bulbs.
Which, come to think of it, bulbs get HOT too.
Actually hotter.

Funny how we leave lights on in empty rooms, forgetting to turn them off, and don't really give it a second thought. But my amp is getting hot OMG!

Apparently I am worrying about the wrong thing.
Forget the amp.
Turn off lights!

(Or try to tolerate CFL's)

Happy New Year
Art
artmaltman
buconero117
2,311 posts
 
If you must ask, you can't afford it.
wolf_garcia
6,696 posts
 
I wonder about transformer heat in my Jolida 502p...especially since I put KT120 tubes in it. There doesn't seem to be much heat at all if the vented transformer cover is any indication...I'd think that cover would get hot but the only heat seems to be a normal amount of heat from the tubes, and I'm not into taking the transformer cover off...maybe I'll stick a meat thermometer in there. This amp is rated to be drawing 180 watts at idle, but since I turn it off when not listening for a while I guess it doesn't idle much. I'm now waiting to see how long KT120s last...and enjoying every minute of it.
invenio78
33 posts
 
I have all my components running through a power conditioner so when I an not using the system I turn the main power off on the conditioner which disconnects everything from the powerline. I don't primarily do this for the electrical cost savings, but rather as a precaution as power spikes/troughs can happen due to storms and other powerline issues. If you have expensive equipment, I think this is the best precaution you can take to prevent unwanted damage to your equipment and it will save you money on the electricity as well. Electronics will NOT be damaged by not having power, but power can damage electronics.
jallen
502 posts
 
Get a class d amp for background music and use tubes when the lisyening is serious. Better yet, get a class T amp from parts express at a hundred or so. Little energy, little cost, and the tubes are there when you can sit for some magic. Jallen
rfogel8's avatar
rfogel8
192 posts
 
I'm with Buconero117, "if you must ask...".

I too own an SLI-80, the all triode version, and have never given power consumption a single thought. Actually, it's in a second system and doesn't get that much use.

My main system is powered by a couple "global warming" Atma-Sphere MA-1 OTL's. Between the two amps, there's 28 power tubes and another 10 6SN7 drivers. Add in my MP-1 preamp with 18 more tubes between line and phono, plus another 3 tubes in my Modwright/Sony 5400 CD player and we're talking the soon demise of the planet! Oh, oh, my eyes are starting to tear up thinking about those poor polar bears.
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