wattage??

[persuasion]

hi all im looking at buying full range cabs but have come across different ratings for each product, so what is the difference between continuous/music/peak please?

 

[museav]

hi all im looking at buying full range cabs but have come across different ratings for each product, so what is the difference between continuous/music/peak please?

The Search function is your friend:

http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/sound-music-intercom/8025-aes-rms-program-oh-my.html

http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/sound-music-intercom/10884-complete-overhaul-2.html

http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/sound-music-intercom/16745-mixing-main-speakers-subwoofers-one-amplifier-channel.html

http://www.doctorproaudio.com/doctor/temas/powerhandling.htm

But just to go over speaker power ratings again, there are numerous ways to approach these and that is why you sometimes have to look at the details to really know what is being claimed. However, for probably the majority of non-powered speakers:

Continuous or Long Term Power (sometimes referred to as called RMS Power because it is based on RMS voltage values which is a misnomer as there is actually no such thing as RMS Power) - Probably the most commonly applied test methods use a shaped broadband noise signal with the high and low frequencies slightly rolled off that is intentionally clipped to provide a 6dB crest factor. The signal is applied for a period of time, which varies from typically 2 hours to 100 hours depending upon the test method, and the rating represents some form of failure or 'appreciable damage'.

Peak Power - Typically a calculated value based on the Continuous power rating and the 6dB crest factor of the test signal and the peak levels of the signal being 6dB above or four times the RMS value used for the Continuous rating.

Program Power - Usually simply a value midway between the Continuous and Peak ratings assumed to better represent the performance with typical 'program' material.

Some general comments:

• Speaker power ratings represent the power the speaker can handle, not what it needs or requires.
• Note that only the Continuous rating is generally measured with the Peak and Program ratings being calculated from that value.
• It is usually the voltage and current that are actually measured with the resulting power being calculated.
• The common speaker power rating testing methods do not assess any changes in frequency response, distortion, etc., thus the performance of a speaker could change significantly before the rated power is reached. For example, speakers with certain types of passive high frequency protection circuits effectively divert more and more of the power going to the high frequency driver to another device as the power applied increases with the result of decreasing relative high frequency output and a power rating that may be much greater than one may ever reasonably want to apply in actual use.
• Standards and test methods have been proposed that would better address both long term versus short term power handling factors and audible changes in the device's performance, however these are more complicated processes and would also typically result in lower power ratings. Since adherence to any particular process or Standard is not required and as many purchasing the products would not understand the differences between the test methods applied, even if they agree with the concept from a technical perspective not many manufacturers would be willing to, or could afford to, apply a test process that results in their products having lower, albeit more accurate, ratings unless they were to be applied industry wide. With factors such as increasing offshore competition and copies, these would be even more difficult to apply unless they were internationally accepted.

 

[avare]

hi all im looking at buying full range cabs but have come across different ratings for each product, so what is the difference between continuous/music/peak please?

A common question, but completely irrelevant. Would you decide how big an engine you need for car by how much gas it can consume? The important factor is how much sound the speaker emits!

Andre