OT: Speaker Wattage question

[Mark A]

They will be 480 watts PMPO (A spin-doctor term that is supposed to stand

for 'Peak Music Power Output'). it's basically bullshit. It's the
theoretical absolutely loudest they can go for 1,000,000th of a second or
so. They're probably 5 watts RMS (Root Mean Square), it that.

Only cheap shit is sold using the PMPO rating, real gear is quoted in RMS. I
have some '480 watt' speakers here that don't sound as good or as loud as
some Creative 5 watt RMS speakers.

As for power usage, it will be negligable. Especially if they aren't
producing 'sound'. You could leave them plugged in all year and it wouldn't
cost $5 electricity.

Actually, amplifiers ratings are controlled by the FTC, so there is usually
no problem with their ratings. But speakers ratings are not regulated. The
problem comes in with self powered speakers which contain built-in
amplifiers. The wattage rating for the speaker is irrelevant unless one is
using it as a monitor for a rock band in a concert venue.

As mentioned, the maximum RMS power rating (per channel) for the amplifier
section of most decent quality computer speakers is about 5 watts. The
average listening power in a real world application is much less (per
channel).

 

[mrdancer]

Buying inexpensive 480 Watt speakers is like buying $20 300 Watt power
supplies. Both are fictional creatures; they don't put out anywhere near
that. These are companies run by the Marketing Department. Anything to
make a sale.

True. My brother's $10k 40w stereo system would blow away most folks' 400w
systems.

 

[Mark A]

Buying inexpensive 480 Watt speakers is like buying $20 300 Watt power

True. My brother's $10k 40w stereo system would blow away most folks' 400w
systems.

Again, we are talking apples and oranges. "Most folks' 400w systems" are
using the wattage rating for the speakers, not the amplifier. Your brother's
40W (per channel RMS) is the amplifier rating, which has nothing to do with
the speaker wattage rating.

 

[scott]

Actually, amplifiers ratings are controlled by the FTC, so there is
usually no problem with their ratings. But speakers ratings are not
regulated. The problem comes in with self powered speakers which
contain built-in amplifiers. The wattage rating for the speaker is
irrelevant unless one is using it as a monitor for a rock band in a
concert venue.

As mentioned, the maximum RMS power rating (per channel) for the
amplifier section of most decent quality computer speakers is about 5
watts. The average listening power in a real world application is
much less (per channel).

An interesting point is that "RMS power" is actually average power, not RMS.
The term has just stuck though.

 

[Gary Tait]

With what? Do I need a special tool or will a normal multitester do the
trick?

A watthour meter.

On second thoughts I'd rather not be ****ing around with the mains power.

You don't need to, with the proper equipment. OR find someone willing
to muck around for you.

 

[J. Clarke]

A watthour meter.


You don't need to, with the proper equipment. OR find someone willing
to muck around for you.

FWIW, most people don't have a watt-hour meter lying around and if they are
sufficiently poor that they are worried about the cost of electricity
consumed by computer speakers they probably can't afford one.