#1November 4th, 2008 · 09:55 PM
2 threads
1 posts
United States Minor Outlying Islands
speaker question
What is RMS wattage?
#2November 5th, 2008 · 10:27 AM
181 threads / 54 songs
1,932 posts
Canada
RMS stands for "Root Mean Square", which is fancy mathematical formula for finding the average amount of power an amplifier can continuously produce. There is no legal standard for calculating RMS watts for an amplifier. Most amplifier makers get a "UL" Rating from the Underwriters Labratories to obtain the most 'true' RMS rating.

Since most amps sound their best when they are 'cranked', some musicians look at the Peak wattage more than the RMS rating. Also, tube-amplifiers are usually not rated by RMS.
#3November 5th, 2008 · 12:41 PM
160 threads / 33 songs
1,965 posts
United States of America
Yes kundadion hit the nail on the head,  You know years ago top shelf speaker manufactures rated their speakers by sending  a full band width (20-20kz) thru em, then testing the clips at peak to peak then getting the RMS from that.. Now the norm is to just send one frequency  1kz through the speaker ...it gives them a much higher rating.

You can put way more power to a speaker with a smaller wave needing less power than let's say sending 20hz into it.  Most instruments and vocals produce many frequencies,  so it is kind of misleading to think that your speaker will handle 1000 watts of power @ 4 ohms with a full bandwidth running through it.
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