How can you measure the real wattage of your amp. amp labeled 4200 watts. what is the RMS wattage?

Question

the amp has 4/3/2 channels. i don't believe that it really can give the 4200 watts written on it because it just has an average size.

Answer 1

I think that CEA-compliant mark on the Subwoofer amplyfier is totally unusable. The CEA tests are based on noise tests, 1000Hz (sometimes 500) tests, where the amp is able to handle that power, because it is not hard for the amp.

At 50Hz, it is more challenging and amplyfier has much more work with this frequency. There is much more distortion and problems, and I'm sure, it is not able to handle that 1000Watts of power like with 1000Hz test. But why is it, when you use your subwoofers at 30-100Hz????  

weak and cheap amplyfiers has 40-50% output power on these frequencies, nice powerful amps are able to output about 80-98% of the power with no distortion increase...

Answer 2

It really depends if the amp is CEA-2006 compliant or not.When looking at a amp,always go by the smaller number.The smaller number is the RMS wattage...thats the true wattage...most amps will say something like 600 watts and 1200 max...the max value means nothing.all that means that the amp is capable of reaching peaks upto 1200 watts.Problem is,when the amp is hitting its peak watts,it begins to clip or distort.this is what blows speakers.

The gain adjustments will determine this.If you have the gains too high,to amp is reaching its peak and its over working.When a amp is hitting its peak,its a distorted signal which will blow your subs....

so go by the smaller number...thats its true wattage.Rms in lamens terms means "continuous" usable power.That means the amp can pump out that amount of wattage continuosly without distortion....so basically,peak numbers dont mean a thing.

Peak numbers are given to exaggerate the amps potential here by making the customer think the amp is a monsterous amp,when its really not.Its a sales pitch basically

UPDATE: To the guy below me.CEA standars are NOT unusable.I see what you are saying though.But the CEA guidelines are all tested at the SAME set of guidelines.Example:An amp that was tested to be 100 watts at 12.6 volts and another that tested 100 watts at 14.4 volts are totally diiferent.Why?Because OBVIOUSLY the amp that was tested at 12.6 volts is way stronger than the 1 tested at 14.4 volts....Other examples would be Total Harmonice distortion or THD....CEA standard have a certain percentage that ALL amps have to fall under and EFFIECIENTCY as well....All amps under CEA guideline have to fall within a certain range....So given this information...How is it that CEA  ratings are "unusable"??Seems like the CEA guidelines ensure that ALL amps are closely matched in performance....give or take a few.There are obviously some amps that sound  better than others....But this is where THD and other specs come into play....The CEA is just a good place to start when looking at amps period

Answer 3

Does it have a model number if so google it, or if it has a normal rating on it thats da rms rating