What does @2 Vrms IN mean?

[AlfieFroud]

I’m looking at some headphone amp spec sheets and they give two types of output power specs with one saying @2 Vrms IN. What does this mean?

 

[wasnotwasnotwas]

I’m looking at some headphone spec sheets and they give two types of output power specs with one saying @2 Vrms IN. What does this mean?

Headphones, or headphone amps?

 

[AlfieFroud]

Headphones, or headphone amps?

Oops, it was meant to say headphone amps.

 

[wasnotwasnotwas]

Thought so. Most consumer DACs with RCA outputs will put out up to 2 Volts RMS (Dont ask me what that means technically). Most DACs with XLR outputs (or balanced) will put out 4 VRMS. Some more. The more V in , the less hard the amp has to work to put out any given amount of power.

As an example, the Topping L30 specs were originally given with 3 V into it. With 3V the L30 can out out more power than with 2V in but many DACs (including its own matching e30 DAC) only put out 2V. The specs were "right" but not massively clear about what was needed to deliver those specs.

For whatever you are looking at , the specs are for the (unofficial) standard for single ended RCA input of 2v.

 

[AlfieFroud]

thank you so much for the explanation. It was actually the L30 and A50 I was looking at. Is this something exclusive to DACs or is it the same with things like phono stages? The reason I ask is I can’t seem to find VRMS on their spec sheets.

 

[wasnotwasnotwas]

thank you so much for the explanation. It was actually the L30 and A50 I was looking at. Is this something exclusive to DACs or is it the same with things like phono stages? The reason I ask is I can’t seem to find VRMS on their spec sheets.

No idea about other inputs, sorry.

 

[tvrgeek]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_mean_square GOOGLE is your friend.

For a pure sine wave V RMS is the same as V ac. If distorted, it is a more accurate description of the "pressure" being applied. Volts is after all a measure of force.

2V AC is the defacto consumer line level voltage that will provide the maximum rated output. So, an amplifier may be rated for 10W into 8 Ohms. To get 10W out, it will need 2V in.

 

[AlfieFroud]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_mean_square GOOGLE is your friend.

For a pure sine wave V RMS is the same as V ac. If distorted, it is a more accurate description of the "pressure" being applied. Volts is after all a measure of force.

2V AC is the defacto consumer line level voltage that will provide the maximum rated output. So, an amplifier may be rated for 10W into 8 Ohms. To get 10W out, it will need 2V in.

I did try Google and had actually tried to read that wiki page but it went completely over my head.