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Interesting article on honest power ratings.

Blumlein 88

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I wish them luck. I see only two ways this happens. All the largest publications and reviewers refuse to state anything other than what an amp is really capable of which means testing on their part. And they harp on it endlessly. Making it the first item of the first paragraph of a review.

This isn't going to happen because I believe all the major publications are too corralled by their advertisers. Plus there is now effectively really only going to be one company making the great bulk of all AVR's. With no competition they've no reason to be honest. You could say they've no reason to lie either as they could be honest with each and every component they make with all brands. But that isn't how they function.

The second way is a gov't regulation, and one that is enforced.

Looking at heatsinks on the ones Amir has tested I doubt they could handle a 1 minute pre-conditioning period, much less 1 hour.
 

invaderzim

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And we are a society conditioned to search for bigger numbers. I bought car stereo speakers a couple years ago and a guy at work asked me "how many watts are they?" I replied "You mean how many watts can they handle? Plenty more than I need". He kept asking it until finally I just said "120" and he looked impressed and said "that's good"
 

Blumlein 88

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I wish I had the funding. I'd like to take various models, set them to their most outrageous claimed power, and turn them on while doing a video. Ratings would consist of how many seconds or minutes until they smoke with a second rating for how spectacularly they smoked. Need to be a youtube channel I suppose.

I suppose if you had speakers that were power hungry enough (I might have a couple ideas) we could also record the sound as they fry.
 

restorer-john

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The general public loves to see high power rating values, I too see no reason for any manufacturer to change their ways.

In this country it falls under deceptive trade practices. The government could have a field day fining each and every company for each instance of false advertising, goods not meeting their rated specifications etc.

I've been harping on about it for decades.
 

restorer-john

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Ratings would consist of how many seconds or minutes until they smoke with a second rating for how spectacularly they smoked. Need to be a youtube channel I suppose.

It'd be like those dyno fails on youtube. :)
 
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nightfishing

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I thought the article was interesting in how it broke down the different ways the amps were rated; a nice reference. Didn't think much about the idea of pushing thru honesty in advertising lol.

I remember way back when the biggest issue wasn't convoluted specs but just downright making up numbers. Especially on mainstream receivers.

Always relied on the weight test lol. I'll take the 40 watt hk that weighs 4 times as much as the "100 watt" mainstream receiver.
 

restorer-john

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Always relied on the weight test lol. I'll take the 40 watt hk that weighs 4 times as much as the "100 watt" mainstream receiver.

That used to be a good guide, however with SMPS supplies and little or no heatsinks required for Class D, the old 'weight test' goes out the window.
 
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