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Topic: Amp Wattage |
Jay Riddle
From:
Pennsboro, W.V.
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Posted 18 Jun 2014 10:35 am |
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| In amp electronics dealing with watts does the actual rating that the amp has 200, 300 etc. stay at that number or is the wattage cut down some? Just curious. |
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Scott Duckworth
From:
Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies
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Posted 18 Jun 2014 12:17 pm
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That rating would be the peak wattage with the proper load on the speaker output, and amp run at wide open.
Very few people run an amp full on, so your actual wattage in use would be something far less than full volume wattage. However, a higher capable wattage, even though not use, generally leads to a cleaner sound.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_power for more.
_________________
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it
I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus! |
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Jay Riddle
From:
Pennsboro, W.V.
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Posted 18 Jun 2014 12:28 pm Amp Wattage
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| Thanks for the reply, and it explains everything. Cheers |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 18 Jun 2014 3:49 pm
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To further declarify, stage amps (both sound reinforcement and guitar amps) get rated CONTINUOUS, not peak. To oversimplify, RMS averages out the peaks.
Since peaks often consume up to three times the power of continuous¹.
To make things annoying, listening amps (home theater, stereo, and car stereo) tend to display the peak ratings, but the RMS values can be found in the small print of the manuals.
That 1000 Watt car stereo amp would be rated between 350 and 400 if it were a stage amp.
On the flip side, that Session 500 would probably get about an 800W rating if someone popped its power amp into a home theater box (900 at 2 ohms)
BTW, the "stage" versus "listening" are my own terms. But I should think they're self-evident.
¹ 30 years ago I was more fluent in the science, jargon and magic behind the RMS v. Peak. But it stopped mattering, so I stopped remembering.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Scott Duckworth
From:
Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies
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Posted 18 Jun 2014 5:05 pm
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| Quote: |
| 30 years ago I was more fluent in the science, jargon and magic behind the RMS v. Peak. But it stopped mattering, so I stopped remembering. |
I know what you mean Lane, I lost another years worth of brain cells yesterday! 
_________________
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it
I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus! |
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Jay Riddle
From:
Pennsboro, W.V.
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Posted 18 Jun 2014 5:24 pm Amp Wattage
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| Interesting facts about wattage. Veddy interesting. Thanks for the posts fellas. |
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