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Thread: True Wattage |
    
New member Username: Omegagen
Post Number: 3
Registered: Jun-04
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| Posted on Saturday, June 19, 2004 - 04:03 pm: |
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Are there any manufactures of A/V receivers or amps that advertise the TRUE wattage of their receivers? Most everyone agrees that most companys advertise bogus wattage numbers, e.g., an advertised 120W X 5,6, or 7 may actually yield 50W per channel and don't even think you'll see that power in all channels when the volume cranks up, well not without alot of distortion anyway.
Who makes receivers or amps that even come close to their advertised wattage power?? |
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Silver Member Username: Landroval
Post Number: 309
Registered: Feb-04
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| Posted on Saturday, June 19, 2004 - 04:14 pm: |
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At least NAD and H/K are pretty honest about their advertised wattages, usually they're even able to exceed those numbers. Also Pioneer Elite, Rotel and Arcam will redeem their promises. |
Silver Member Username: Project6
Post Number: 854
Registered: Dec-03
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| Posted on Saturday, June 19, 2004 - 06:22 pm: |
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there's also Outlaw Audio, Adcom, Parasound, Kenwood (not all), B&K. |
Bronze Member Username: Ojophile
Toronto,
ON
Post Number: 18
Registered: Jun-04
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| Posted on Sunday, June 20, 2004 - 08:52 pm: |
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NAD. See their "Power Disclosure"
http://www.nadelectronics.com/power/power_main.htm
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Unregistered guest |
| Posted on Friday, June 25, 2004 - 05:19 pm: |
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There are lots that do. Whats your beef? Power specs are pretty much meaningless anyway. Main thing is you get an amp that will drive your speakers in your room to a volume you can live with before it clips. People pay way too much attention to specs, in my opinion. Listen with your ears.....not your eyes. |
Silver Member Username: Project6
Post Number: 933
Registered: Dec-03
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| Posted on Saturday, June 26, 2004 - 10:06 am: |
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Numbers, Maui, a lot of people rely on impressive numbers. Don't forget, the game is to get the people to buy the product so you have to appear the most impressive. |
Silver Member Username: Johnny
Missouri
Post Number: 372
Registered: Dec-03
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| Posted on Monday, June 28, 2004 - 09:11 am: |
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Maui,
As Berny said, a lot of people do rely on the power specs of a receiver when buying. You sound like a relatively educated person in these regards, but unfortunately, the vast majority of people buying receivers are not as educated. As I have said before, at the big name electronics stores, the power rating of a receiver is nearly all that is listed on the "info card". |
Unregistered guest |
| Posted on Wednesday, June 30, 2004 - 06:07 am: |
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Johhny, thanks for the compliment. I feel I owe you an explanation. Power specs. Why do they mean pretty much nothing? Allow me to explain, k?
First, amplifier power is tested with sine waves. Sine waves swept in frequency from 20hz to 20khz. With me so far? Secondly, amplifiers are tested using 8 ohm and 4 ohm load resistors. Power is then measured and posted. Sounds fair no? Nope. Here's the problems. First, do we listen to sine waves? I don't. Do you? I listen to MUSIC. Is music sine waves? Hardly. it much more closely resembles SQUARE waves. Another animal completely. Second, do you listen to load resistors? I don't. I listen to SPEAKERS. Speakers are NOT a purely resistive load. Speakers are a very complex, ever changing REACTIVE load. See the problem? Amplifier manufacturers HOPE you don't. So, to cut this short, what does the "typical" Japanese amp do power wise with "real music" played into "real speakers"? Ya sure you wanna know? I can tell you do. Ok here goes. Your typical Japanese reciever ( Sony, Technics, Sanyo, Sansui, Yamaha, Pioneer,JVC, etc) produce as little as 1/10th their rated power and up to 1000 times their rated distortion when driving a real speaker with real music. Suprised? Thought so. Power ratings can be compared to auto horespower ratings. Lets say you have a 500 h.p. motor. Nice huh? What if only 50 h.p got to the rear wheels? Still feel good about that big motor? To me, it's just sucking gas. Another thing about "distortion" THD is the spec most often listed in the manual. THD. Hmmmm.....thd.....do they tell you if thats primarily upper or lower order harmonics? Nooooooo. Do they tell you if it's primarily even or odd order harmonics? Not a chance. Why not? Don't have to, thats why. It's very easy to make distortion specs look good on paper. All one need do is increase the global negative feedback loop on the amp. But, how does that sound? Like a typical Japanese amp: HORRIBLE. Higher feedback loops increase other, more audable distortions, but hey, the manufacturer doesn't have to print THOSE specs. Besides, they have guys like you.....only looking at the specs they DO show. Understand now? |
Silver Member Username: Johnny
Missouri
Post Number: 373
Registered: Dec-03
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| Posted on Wednesday, June 30, 2004 - 08:38 am: |
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Maui,
Wow...I feel like I need to bring an apple for the teacher. :-) Thank you very much for the great info!! Now, if only everyone buying a receiver would read this thread... |
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