New tech lamps are continuing to increase the RF, radio wave pollution of the environment. While the deleterious effect on living things is largely unproven, other more sensitive devices react adversely to this electromagnetic smog.
Both LED and CFL lamps are ‘electronic’; they have switching type high frequency power supplies in them, to provide high voltage for the fluorescents and controlled constant current for the LEDS, and these supplies can create wideband high frequency noise. While there are regulations to control the degree of noise, so that sensitive electronic equipment will continue to operate, the regulatory system is not perfect even when the standards are met. When they are not, all hell can break loose.
In recent years a significant number of CFLs on the market (not from famous brands!) had such poor EMI countermeasures that all the DAB radios in people’s houses ceased working altogether. Also, a recent report also indicated that up to 30% of recent LED bulbs fail the EMI standard.
Our tests show that switching on a single approved CFL will have a detrimental effect in an otherwise EMI quiet house which has been electrically ‘tuned’ for better sound from the installed high quality stereo system, and as the number of CFL and LED bulbs is increased, so is the loss in sound quality.
Since the EU is outlawing relatively EMI quiet incandescent lighting on grounds of inefficiency, audiophiles should be stocking up with supplies of old bulbs whilst they can. The more efficient 12V quartz are fine for noise providing they are transformer driven and not powered by those cheap plastic solid state switchers which are very radio noisy. There will be no loss to the environment since audiophiles tend to listen under dim lighting!
In recent years a significant number of CFLs on the market (not from famous brands!) had such poor EMI countermeasures that all the DAB radios in people’s houses ceased working altogether. Also, a recent report also indicated that up to 30% of recent LED bulbs fail the EMI standard.
Our tests show that switching on a single approved CFL will have a detrimental effect in an otherwise EMI quiet house which has been electrically ‘tuned’ for better sound from the installed high quality stereo system, and as the number of CFL and LED bulbs is increased, so is the loss in sound quality.
Since the EU is outlawing relatively EMI quiet incandescent lighting on grounds of inefficiency, audiophiles should be stocking up with supplies of old bulbs whilst they can. The more efficient 12V quartz are fine for noise providing they are transformer driven and not powered by those cheap plastic solid state switchers which are very radio noisy. There will be no loss to the environment since audiophiles tend to listen under dim lighting!
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