Stop over exaggerating receiver and speaker ratings

[Canada]

Most of the watts ratings for receivers are over exaggerated because receivers are usually not rated at 8 ohms with all channels driven. This will give the consumer a false scene power.

Same thing goes for speakers a lot of companies give specs for the speakers as peak watts which speakers can only deliver for a few seconds at a time. Companies should state the RMS as that is the continuous wattage that can be pumped through your speaker.

Speaker Ratings

[kingofgrills]

+1. The industry really needs to standardize and regulate how wattage is advertised to the public. For receivers and amps, they need to be rated 20 Hz to 20 kHz, with all channels driven. Only a standardized measurement like that will help prevent manufacturers from skimping on power supplies and transformers while misrepresenting the product.

It's a problem with powered subwoofer ratings as well.

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by Canada

Most of the watts ratings for receivers are over exaggerated because receivers are usually not rated at 8 ohms with all channels driven. This will give the consumer a false scene power.

Same thing goes for speakers a lot of companies give specs for the speakers as peak watts which speakers can only deliver for a few seconds at a time. Companies should state the RMS as that is the continuous wattage that can be pumped through your speaker.

Speaker Ratings

I agree with you that companies should be a bit more honest, but power ratings for receivers or speakers say absolutely nothing about the quality of sound that you will hear. Some great amplifiers, particularly tube amplifiers, or speakers such as speakers with full-range drivers do not have very high power ratings, but they sound wonderful.

[ManUtd]

While I agree that there should be a standard, I highly doubt that it would happen. Besides, the marketing divisions of these manufacturers would do whatever they can to make their products look "better" than their competitors. This is really no different than HDTVs' contrast ratio specs. Best thing to do for consumers is to be educated about these ratings.

[kingofgrills]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

I agree with you that companies should be a bit more honest, but power ratings for receivers or speakers say absolutely nothing about the quality of sound that you will hear. Some great amplifiers, particularly tube amplifiers, or speakers such as speakers with full-range drivers do not have very high power ratings, but they sound wonderful.

I fully agree. One of the best amps I've ever heard was a tube amp putting out 15 watts per channel. 15 tube watts certainly doesn't equal 15 conventional solid state amp watts by any stretch.

Still, when it comes to solid state receivers and amps, I think a required standardized measurement system would do us all good. Too many people focus on power instead of sound quality. I've seen some people do the same thing with speaker sensitivity as well. It also doesn't have a significant bearing on the speaker's quality of sound.

[Rob J in WNY]

I can get my Kraco car booster to produce 1000 watts a side for 0.001 milliseconds under a 0.005-ohm load before it blows. Amazing!

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by kingofgrills

I fully agree. One of the best amps I've ever heard was a tube amp putting out 15 watts per channel. 15 tube watts certainly doesn't equal 15 conventional solid state amp watts by any stretch.

Still, when it comes to solid state receivers and amps, I think a required standardized measurement system would do us all good. Too many people focus on power instead of sound quality. I've seen some people do the same thing with speaker sensitivity as well. It also doesn't have a significant bearing on the speaker's quality of sound.

You said it! People often focus on the wrong criteria when it comes to amps and A/V gear in general.

[Mr. Joshua]

Interesting thread...

[JBL4645]

Originally Posted by kingofgrills

It's a problem with powered subwoofer ratings as well.

Most of the active subs give very little, just speculation on what the sensitivity of the speaker might be rated at?

I mean come on I buy some milk and it as a whole nutritional information specification!

But there is the user option to use external separate amps that have clearer rating on the specs. I don’t trust running my speakers on the AVR internal amps not even if cost £2grand or £2 pounds! I like barograph display and clipping LED indicator.

[Stephan.klose]

Harman Kardon seems to provide the actual wattage though.. Most other companies tell you the receiver is capable of doing at 4 ohm for about a second before being blown to bits

[Fors*]

I agree that the specs do mis-lead the average consumer. I feel I was one of them before finding this site. So, when I found out about the inconsistencies, I went out and did my homework and checked out bench tests of the receivers I was interested in. Once I found the results for my Pioneer Elite SC-05, I was sold as far as the specs go and how accurate they were.

UltimateAVmag.com: Pioneer Elite SC-05 A/V Receiver

[wicked]

Originally Posted by Rob J in WNY

I can get my Kraco car booster to produce 1000 watts a side for 0.001 milliseconds under a 0.005-ohm load before it blows. Amazing!

Wow Kraco... I had a 700 watt Kraco that sat sideways in my Chevy Citation back in 1987. Ahh the joys of your first car.

[PlacervilleGuy]

Originally Posted by ManUtd

While I agree that there should be a standard, I highly doubt that it would happen. Besides, the marketing divisions of these manufacturers would do whatever they can to make their products look "better" than their competitors. This is really no different than HDTVs' contrast ratio specs. Best thing to do for consumers is to be educated about these ratings.

Which is to say that most (mfr's) ratings/specs mean exactly squat.
The only ratings/specs I trust are the ones the mags who test this gear publish.

[Sammy]

My first receiver (CR1982) was an HK and I remember that it had the power rated at 0.001%THD. At that level it was actually rated quite low but it had clean sound.