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Review on Philips LED Dimmable Frosted Light by Theresa Kirkland

Revainrating 5 out of 5

Finally an LED lamp that doesn't hum when dimmed!

I have several Lutron Caseta Wireless Smart Dimmers and am very happy with them. Then I decided to install some additional "dumb" dimmers that don't need remote/smart capabilities. The Maestro line is most closely related to the Caseta dimmer line, so I bought 3 Lutron Maestro MACL-153M-WH dimmers (Lutron MACL-153M-WH Maestro 150 watt multi-user CFL/LED digital dimmer, white) . I thought I'd use the same CREE LED bulbs that worked well with the Caseta, but it turned out they made an audible buzzing noise with the Maestro. In fact, I tried 4 different LED bulbs before I found one that didn't hum (or rather, it hummed so faintly I couldn't hear it even in a quiet environment). Here are the LED bulbs I tried: CREE SA19-08127MDFD-12DE26-1-14 (Buzz - 37dB at 1ft): Cree 8 pack SA19-08127MDFD-12DE26-1-14 LED 60W replacement for A19 Soft White (2700K) Dimmable Light Hyperikon Lamp FBA_192000405-4Pack (38dB buzz per foot): Hyperikon A19 Dimmable LED Lamp, 9W (60W Equivalent), ENERGY STAR Qualified, 2700K (Warm White), CRI90+, 800 Lumens, Medium Screw Cap (E26), UL Listed Standard Filament Bulb (4-pack) EcoSmart 1001370384 (36dB Hum at 1ft): EcoSmart 60W A19 Energy Star Equivalent Soft White LED Bulb, 8 pcs. Phillips 461228 (No audible hum - 32dB at 1ft): Philips 461228 A19 Soft White Dimmable LED Bulb 60W Equivalent Energy Star Certified, Pack of 8 At 32dB it's almost as loud as a soft whisper. Note that the measurements were taken from a distance of 1 foot. Three Phillips lightbulbs are mounted above my bathroom mirror, which is a few feet from my head when I face the sink. At this distance I can't hear the Phillips bulbs at all, but I can hear the other 3 bulbs even in the absence of other background noise.

Pros
  • Confident
Cons
  • Out of fashion