Difference between " AES " and " RMS " power of a driver.

I think I think AES stands for Audio Engineering Socity, but I have never seen this listed as a wattage specification. RMS means Root Mean Square, and is used to denote the “average” power indication for sine wave. This value normalizes the wattage to something closer to the DC equivelant value of the AC wave which naturally rises and falls whereas DC would be steady state. Basically shows a more real world comparison value for power output. 

Ok, AES3 (also known as AES/EBU) is a standard for the exchange of digital audio signals between professional audio devices... AES3 was jointly developed by the Audio Engineering Society (AES) and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). In laymans terms, AES/EBU connections are 3-pin connections for balanced cables. If you want to read up on balanced vs unbalanced, here is a good article - http://www.clarkeaudio.com/article_balance.htm

The RMS power rating is the measure of continuous power that an amplifier can output, or a speaker can handle. RMS power is derived from Root Mean Square which is a statistical measurement of the magnitude of a varying quantity and is applied to voltage or current.

RMS power is erroneous term.  RMS voltage multiplied by RMS current gives AVERAGE (and not RMS) power.  For sinewave average power is equal half of peak power (there is such thing as RMS power but has different value and does not represent anything useful).

"AES power" is based on a standard issued by the Audio Engineering Society for characterizing various parameters of speaker drivers, including power handling capability. Here is a link to the first few pages of the standard (there is a charge for non-members to obtain the full document):

http://www.aes.org/tmpFiles/aessc/20181207/aes02-2012-i.pdf

Also, the following statement appears at https://www.dasaudio.com/en/f-a-q/power-handling/what-is-aes-power/

The AES (Audio Engineering Society) publishes a standard for the measurement of loudspeaker component parameters. Generally speaking, this standard calls for a 2-hour test using pink noise with specified dynamics and with a frequency content that matches the component`s frequency range. Although it is a standard for components, it is often extended to the different ways on an active system. The rating always derives from RMS voltage or current measurements, therefore the rating corresponds to average (“RMS”) power.

Kijanki is of course correct that strictly speaking average power and RMS power are two different things, although the term RMS power is widely (mis)used to refer to average power.

Regards,
-- Al

Do you want precise “technically correct” descriptions - or -do you want to know what these terms mean in the real world ; ie advertising , hi fi magazines, audio reviews, hi fi stores?

It is not mutually exclusive. I appreciate technically correct terms AND I know what advertising, hi-fi magazines, audio reviews etc. mean.

Where is the ‘Professor’ Georgehifi in this thread to tell us we’re all wrong? Guess he must be busy right now 😆 ..

So.. After all, what is the actual wattage of a driver??

what is the actual wattage of a driver??

I'm not sure how to interpret this question.  The actual wattage of a driver is the amount of power that is supplied to it.  But if what you are asking is what is the maximum power handling capability of a driver, the AES standard I referred to defines that on the basis of average power, which is often incorrectly referred to as RMS power.

Regards,
-- Al