Editorial June 2023

June 2023

Halfway through the year and things in the country could be looking worse, I suppose.

Loadshedding is wrecking my kit. My amps mainly stay on all the time – OK – in current times (groan) that’s a few hours a day if we’re lucky. It’s the on/off thing that does the damage and the surges when the lines eventually do power up after running in from cold.

It makes perfect sense to self insure what is often a substantial investment with a line conditioner as a simple option or a full on UPS for those with serious money in the game. Dirty power, as and when we actually have it, is a thing and I was recently quite surprised to hear how an electric fence can pop through on the power lines. Imagine what else is coming through? It’s amazing that we can hear anything at all in fact, right?

I am of course kidding a little but about a clean power surge protected system I really am not. It may be a grudge purchase these days but the added potential benefit to a lowered noise floor can only be a good thing and something that will undoubtedly also make your insurers that much happier.

Matters motoring and it’s odd how things come and go. Intelligent battery systems in cars these days are coming and they will not only grid tie, they will house tie. Yup. Your car will become your inverter and battery. So if you’re considering an R250k system it might be better to hold on and drop R2M onto a really nice electric car that does the same job – and if you put on a bazillion panels you might actually be able to go off grid.

It’s a stretch I’ll grant you. But watch this space for the first sub R500k electric cars. Assuming of course that Europe and the US are still actually talking to us by then. We live in hope, but happily in matters audio we have plenty of domestic talent to ensure self sufficiency and that is a good start!

William Kelly

Publisher