program wattage vs. RMS vs. Peak amplification specifications

Thoughts on program wattage vs. RMS vs. Peak amplification specifications

Q:

Can you explain program wattage vs. RMS vs. Peak What does it mean if a company claims their box has 6000 program watts and 12000peak watts?

A:

Peak watts could possibly be defined as theoretical fantasy watts. Essentially calculated momentary/instantaneous output with no load on the amp.

Or they might be referring to the maximum instantaneous/momentary power the drivers can stand, but for less time than needed to produce a single cycle of a bass frequency wave.

In either case, it's power you can't use.

Program watts are very non-specific. They are defined differently by so many different companies that it's hard to know unless they explain in the fine print.

(Look for the asterisk and follow the trail... *)

RMS watts are also somewhat ambiguous. There are different standards for calculating RMS watts for amplifiers. The question to ask is, how long can the RMS power be sustained? There's always a limiting factor. Heat is one. Power supply capacitance is another. There are more, and they all create limits at different levels with different loads and at different frequencies.

Power (Watts) is a specification that's not without context. Power needs to be considered in context with efficiency and purpose.

Power, in Watts, is a number derived from current flow and it indicates the consumption of energy.

Current flow is promoted by higher voltage and restrained by higher impedance. Those factors can vary wildly, but the consumption of power is NOT the goal of a loudspeaker or amplifier.

The OBJECTIVE is to generate sound pressure. More specifically, the goal is to produce EQUAL sound pressure over a range of frequencies.

The ideal is to produce the most sound pressure using the least amount of power.

Power you can't use because it would bottom out the woofers is pointless.

Power you can't use because it would melt the voice coils is pointless.

Power you can't access because the amplifier can't deliver it in actual operation is pointless.

Power you can't use because it will trip breakers is pointless.

People tend to put far too much emphasis on power.

Is it important how much energy is consumed, or are there more important considerations? 

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