Speaker Power Ratings

Manufacture Test Rating

• This is the thermal limit using pink noise to define the continuous power rating.
• Standards include AES2-1984 (r2003), EIA-426-B (2001), IEC 60268-5 and AES2-2012
• Most vendor will label this RMS and is totally incorrect.
• Will see defined as Pc, Continuous, RMS, IEC 60268-5, EIA-426-B. IEC Continuous or AES Continuous rating.

Thermal Limits

• This is the thermal limit using random frequencies of music reproduction
• This is defined as 2 x Pc, Continuous or RMS Power
• Will see this defined as Pe, PMax, Peak, Program, Music or System Power
• Caution! Some vendors will label this as peak power.
• If Peak defined as 2 x RMS then this is Max Thermal Limits not Peak
• Thermal capacity is related to coil temperature, adhesives and insulation melting point.

Mechanical Limits

• Pm or PLim or Peak Power is the mechanical limitation
• An excursions greater than the Xmax parameter can damage the component.
• This is defined by 2 x Pe, Pmax, Program, Music or System Power
• Can be defined by 4 x Pc, Continuous or RMS Power