OP:
For the most part these are all about bragging, which in the end only matters to a smidgen of speakers. Your ears and wallet should be the biggest reasons to pick an amplifier, not current specs per se.
The relationship between peak, rated amplifier power vs. AC power is not by any means standard. There are requirements to rate an amp a certain wattage, like preheating at 1/3 power, and then measuring, but not about peak power or efficiency.
Class D/H amplifiers are among the most efficient, so generally speaking, they convert 80% or more of power drawn into what the speaker sees, with the lowest idle power. Class-A is least efficient, they draw their rated output at idle!
The next thing to understand is power reserves. All sorts of ways to give amplifiers extra headroom in voltage or power. This is a useful thing since music is transitory and not really like the FTC testing mentioned above.
It may help you a little to understand that amplifiers rely on capacitors to store energy. They act like fast batteries. So instantaneously they can deliver more power than the wall outlets can, and then recharge slowly.
There are also some resonant tank circuits (using coils and caps) that can store energy for AC circuits. Richard Grey relied heavily on this to increase current delivery for his AC conditioners. Not sure why but his products have fallen out of favor.
Personally based on listening, and cost, I use Furman products with series mode surge suppression, LiFT noise canceling and occasionally voltage regulation.
Best,
E
For the most part these are all about bragging, which in the end only matters to a smidgen of speakers. Your ears and wallet should be the biggest reasons to pick an amplifier, not current specs per se.
The relationship between peak, rated amplifier power vs. AC power is not by any means standard. There are requirements to rate an amp a certain wattage, like preheating at 1/3 power, and then measuring, but not about peak power or efficiency.
Class D/H amplifiers are among the most efficient, so generally speaking, they convert 80% or more of power drawn into what the speaker sees, with the lowest idle power. Class-A is least efficient, they draw their rated output at idle!
The next thing to understand is power reserves. All sorts of ways to give amplifiers extra headroom in voltage or power. This is a useful thing since music is transitory and not really like the FTC testing mentioned above.
It may help you a little to understand that amplifiers rely on capacitors to store energy. They act like fast batteries. So instantaneously they can deliver more power than the wall outlets can, and then recharge slowly.
There are also some resonant tank circuits (using coils and caps) that can store energy for AC circuits. Richard Grey relied heavily on this to increase current delivery for his AC conditioners. Not sure why but his products have fallen out of favor.
Personally based on listening, and cost, I use Furman products with series mode surge suppression, LiFT noise canceling and occasionally voltage regulation.
Best,
E