What Is Wattage?

Wattage is a confusing term that tells you how much “Power” an amplifier or speaker can handle. Obviously the bigger the number the better and louder your system is going to be. However there are three different measurements of Wattage and some manufacturers play on the fact that you don’t know what they are or the difference between them. I would love to change this fact and give you a chance to see through the marketing propaganda

Like I said… There are 3 types of wattage and below is a graph of a standard sign wave to illustrate how these measurements are taken

Peek to Peek: Is double the value of Peek because the measurement is taken from the low negative value to the high positive value. If an amplifier is rated in either of these first two it is basically telling you the maximum load the amp can handle for a very short time.

RMS: Tells you the maximum wattage a system can handle continuously without being damaged. This is the number you should be looking for and will give you a much better idea how powerful your system will truly be!

Example – A 1000watt amplifier measured in Peak to Peak would actually be only 500 watts Peak. Manufacturers will use this to their advantage to make their amplifiers look better then they really are. They aren’t lying to you because it’s a “Type” of wattage but they aren’t really telling you the truth either.

Make sure that when you are comparing audio gear you always find out what the ratings are measured in before making the purchase. Ask the sales rep to help and if he can’t give you an answer I would suggest purchasing from someone who knows what they are talking about and not just trying to make a commission!