QuestionQUESTION: Mark,
I'm installing a stereo inside a 36' sailboat with a 12 volt DC system. Car stereo seems the way to go. Power draw is a concern. The units with the features I want are more powerful than I need. What can I roughly expect for amperage draw with small bookshelf speakers played at low volume? Also, what's your opinion on the Nakamichi cd-400 for this application? Thanks, Bruce
ANSWER: most car audio cd players only draw a max of 10 amps. in fact, most have a 10 amp fuse in them, so if they even were capable of pulling more than that, they'd just blow their own fuse.
and 90% of the powerdraw is from the amplifier wattage so assuming the cd player has a 10 amp fuse, and probably draws 1 amp for runing the cd player motors and electronics, that leaves probably 8 amps for the amplifier section. so if you only turn it up 1/2 way, the most you'll pull from the amp section would be like 4 amps, plus the 1 amp for cd functions.
So to sum this all up, I'd say you'd be pulling a max of like 5 amps at decent volume, and if you crank it up maybe 8-9 amps tops.
probably nothing to worry about at all!
good luck!
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QUESTION: Mark, Thanks for the clarification. Concerning speakers. I have the space for enclosed speakers. Generally speaking, can I expect better sound from good quality small bookshelf speakers versus those mounted in wall cutouts?
AnswerI would bet on the bookshelfs sounding better since the in wall speakers rely on the wall being their box, the walls probably arent sealed air tight agains the speaker or everywhere else for that matter, and arent of the stiffness that a good speaker box needs to be.
