Think again.
As with almost every other shop in the country, we often have clients who come in with “big” amps and even bigger expectations. Stamped on the top of the amp is some outrageous claim of “2000 watts” and on the side are two 30 amp fuses. Of course the client wants to buy a pair of subwoofers that will handle 2000 watts. It is here where we need to make a decision. Do we educate them or just sell them what they think they need? At Extreme Audio, we choose to educate the client.
There are many things to discuss when determining the true capabilities of an amplifier, but for the purposes of this article, we will focus on the amplifier’s fuses. Simply put, a fuse is a failsafe to limit the amount of current that can pass through it. For an amplifier to produce a given amount of output, simple physics dictates that it needs a certain amount of input. The fuses create a sort of limit to the amount of output the amplifier can produce.
Math Class
There is a very simple formula for the amount of power am amplifier can produce:
Total Power = DC Volts X Current Draw X Efficiency Constant
- Total Power – The wattage that the amplifier can produce
- DC Volts – The input voltage. For our purposes we will go with a typical alternator output of 13.5 volts
- Current Draw – The maximum current draw that the amplifier can sustain. In our case, the fuses indicate 60 amps
- Efficiency Constant – For class AB amplifiers this is 50%-60% and for class D amps it is about 80%
Assuming that the amplifier referred to above is a Class AB amplifier
Total Power = DC Volts X Current Draw X Efficiency Constant
Total Power = 13.5 X 60 X .6
Total Power = 486 Watts
Assuming that it is a Class D amplifier
Total Power = DC Volts X Current Draw X Efficiency Constant
Total Power = 13.5 X 60 X .8
Total Power = 648 Watts
The Results
In either case, this is a far cry from the 2000 watts that the amplifier claims and that the client believed it would produce. Had we just sold the client a pair of subs that could handle 2000 watts, a few of things would have happened:
- The client would have spent WAY too much money
- The system would have fallen WAY short of their expectations
- We would not have lived up to the reputation of honesty that we have earned over the years.
In situations like this, we will recommend a more suitable solution. The client will be happier and have some spare change left in their pockets and we will have earned their respect and hopefully a shot at their repeat business.
This is what you should expect from a specialty retailer like Extreme Audio. Instead of taking the easy route, and saying “here you go,” a great facility will take the time to educate their clients and provide the best solution available. We hope that this has been informative and helpful and we welcome your comments.
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