New electricity tariffs from 2014

Business analysts are saying your electricity bills could go up by 20%... or more... from next year. How's this going to affect audiophiles with valve and Class A amps... play less? Change gear? Take up jogging instead?

use candles. Turn off air con. Throw out washing machine. Throw out water heater.
 
But keep the amps. The show must go on....  

Lol ... what would the other half say ...? If you have one, that is ...

Hi...apart from electricity do expect other stuff to go up as well

Yes, I think the days of cheap hi-fi gear are coming to an end. "Cheap" ... lol ... but seriously, along with GST, I think we can expect prices to go up ...

Look, Cost of living in this land is always on the rise. There's no indication prices of food or drink goes down after its raised. Silent increase is often and sudden to your dismay. Imported goods get more expensive as Malaysia is most dependent on imports, from ice cream to anything you wear to hifi. Poorer exchange rate contribute to higher prices. Duties or GST added on is another distress.
One just have to find ways and means to earn more to keep up with rising COL or lifestyle. Buy only when there's bargain or throwout prices. Any hobby that command high prices including hifi will rise due to mentioned consequences. For most mid and low income rakyat, purchasing power decrease gradually in reality and practice. Moreover almost not able to afford a piece of landed property at the rate its going. Nuff said for now. Just earn more..I don't see any other route.

Either earn more or spend less...

Electricity rates in particular will rise in future to the dismay. It depends on fuel that generate electricity like diesel and coal which I've little or no idea how TNB manage this area to the best interest of its consumers. I know a friend in the coal business and I've heard all sorts of how things are going on here, but thats hearsay, I won't elaborate it. If I recall the cost trend from the 1960's till now, its upwards all the way and no dip. Consumers are paying the highest rate currently. What goes up doesn't go down, unfortunately for here.
Its false economy to generate your own electricity for your home, say running a generator. Factually and in short, you'd be paying more, not to mention the noise from the generating set. TNB rates is still cheapest, like paying wholesale price, whatever current rates are right now.
Solar is out of the question. No home owner does this or will contemplate this in practice in usual urban environment. This is stuff of dreams for the moment.
Unless you live next to some fast flowing river, there is a possibility of a water source turbine generator, sorry, Klang valley folks..this is out of the question. The cost of the equipment or approval is another matter. I remember Genting Highlands had its own multiple diesel generators from early days to the 90's when switched over to TNB national grid. Own generators are inherently with inconsistent voltage, frequency, fluctuation and dips. Very bad for hifi, which require the best, most stable and consistent voltage and frequency. Nothing less.
Maybe one fine day in future, a practical Huge battery pack, DC to AC inverter solution made available as alternative to supplement your TNB supply. Again, these are stuff of dreams although the technology is there but not commercially available for homes. Cost outlay is another concern.
Things like these only become affordable or cheap if they're commercially widely available like your usual IT stuff or consumer electronics, but unfortunately they aren't!
TNB and national electricity is a monopoly and seem unchanged, so all consumers are at their mercy or whatever your 1Government deem fit to allow it to happen, including tariff increase.

Audiophiles can join TNB's solar panel program. For the price of a high end amp of speakers we can earn monthly RM500 from TNB plus clean power for our HIFi system. I am not sure if they would allow you to utilise your own electricity to power up  your home but I am sure there is way to do it.



Cheers.

Yes, solar panel or solution at what cost? Wonder why a lot of people haven't done it? Logically who doesn't want to save or rid of monopolistic trend?
The idea is there, but unfortunately it stay an idea!..thats the easy part. 
Any great solution that I can implement very soon? I'm all ears.

I got rid of Telekom land line at home last year..that saved me a bundle every month. For decades paying for one like a fool.

Might be a boon for local hifi products... as long as they don't themselves artificially raise prices themselves. How may local producers of good hifi do we have? Frank? DIY paradise? Who else?
 
And why do we have to pay usd at these places when they are made within driving distance??? Just check out their website.... Might be time to give the local market they belong in a bit of a break. It may get them far.
 
My own example is the pre amp I have... the best I have ever heard, and it is locally made. No details available, but made right here in the heart of KL.
 
I think a lot of us have grown up in the world of hifi trusting big name brands that carry big name prices as well. We turn our noses off at some thing made in Cheras or Kepong or Selayang or Jelebu.
 
But I have learned that some of the local products are damn, damn DAMN good. More thank capable to give the big imported boys a serious run for their money.
 
Poor marketing and greed to keep raising their prices even for local market is what's keeping them from getting more well known, this is my personal feeling anyway for what it's worth.
 
That's my 2 c worth anyway.

The cost is is about RM10000 for 1KW panel. A businessman from Penang is earning RM3500 per month from TNB. The estimate return of RM500 is for 4Kw feed in to the grid. It is not that expensive. You recover your capital in 10 years and earn a profit for the next 10. The good news is the tariff is likely to go up so you can reap your profits much earlier. TNB is still looking for participants.

bal wrote:But I have learned that some of the local products are damn, damn DAMN good. More thank capable to give the big imported boys a serious run for their money.
Poor marketing and greed to keep raising their prices even for local market is what's keeping them from getting more well known, this is my personal feeling anyway for what it's worth.

It all depend on personal angle and affordability. If it were true to all sense and purpose, everyone would be driving Proton and Perodua entry level cars, for the sake of comparison. No need for other make or expensive models which all are built for one primary objective, getting from A to B. In a similar logic, the audio community consist of all sorts of people with different perception, mindset and justification of what they want to own for all purpose and intent.
The rest is obvious. Those who can afford high end at sky high prices, will buy. Those who can't afford or don't want to fork out,will look to lower priced gear or the used market.

STC wrote:The cost is is about RM10000 for 1KW panel. A businessman from Penang is earning RM3500 per month from TNB. The estimate return of RM500 is for 4Kw feed in to the grid. It is not that expensive. You recover your capital in 10 years and earn a profit for the next 10. The good news is the tariff is likely to go up so you can reap your profits much earlier. TNB is still looking for participants.

And how many panels is needed for a normal double storey house? Say, if 4 or more panels, it looks very costly to implement. I consume roughly 400-500kwH per month on the average. 
I've to calculate the solution, cost outlay and the return period. If it seemed that attractive, I would consider this seriously. Of course I'm not greedy insisting that I get returns in 1-2 years, which I think is impossible.

bal wrote: 
My own example is the pre amp I have... the best I have ever heard, and it is locally made. No details available, but made right here in the heart ...

Hi Bal, 

Your preamp is not cheap, the builder do charge very high price for that. Just that you are super lucky, got a super good deal for that.  

Cheers,
Cheah

I reckon this topic is better suited or beneficial to discussing about ways and means to lower your monthly bill rather than hint its hifi gear contribute to significant increase in consumption.
I suppose its important and relevant to mid and low income group. Everyone have all sorts of life's challenges except a minority who have no concern in fuel or energy consumption.
Of course its unrealistic and absurd to suggest people revert to stoneage lifestyle without washing machines, fancy lighting features and doing away with consumer electronics.
LED lamp bulbs pose great savings at 70% less consumption but at 40-50 a pop?
Solar panels at RM10k a KW? Inverter air conditioners that advertise 30% or more savings, but not everyone use a/c, not in a lot of rural areas that I know of, which makes no difference in their bill.
OTH, How about NGV for cars? At RM4k for common installation, I don't see very popular use despite all the hype or road tax deduction incentive, but do hear other discouraging factors about NGV stations, boot space, high cost, etc, etc. End of the day, not very popular all these years here.
Rakyat Malaysia very funny lot! Not easy to suit and please! Just earn more lah...problem become no problem!

Electricity costs more over here. I went to low powered tube amps and now to analogue switching amps just to play more.