LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD: Protect Consumers Through Stringent Amplifier Rating Standards

(February 12, 2021) Recently, an AV NIRVANA member privately reached out to us with a simple request: help spread the word. Following a few clicks and some quick reading, we saw an immediate need to amplify a strong and respected voice in the AV world... that being the voice of Audioholics founder Gene DellaSala. DellaSala has shed light on an important consumer protection in audio that outlines standards manufacturers must follow when reporting published power ratings. There's a possibility this protection could lapse and not be renewed.

Every ten years, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reviews a standing rule called "FTC Trade Regulation Rule Relating to Power Output Claims for Amplifiers Utilized in Home Entertainment Products." This "Amplifier Rule" is currently open for consideration and comments by enthusiasts and US citizens, just like you and me. As DellaSala strongly states: "Ideally, we would like to see the Amplifier Rule not only maintained but actively enforced and possibly improved upon for the modern age."

Audioholics has published an informative article about the history of the Amplifier Rule, with suggestions of how the rule can be improved. You can read that article here. If you'd like your voice heard, please follow this link to regulations.gov and click "comment now" on the upper right portion of the website. Comments can be left until February 16, 2021, so time is certainly of the essence.

Many thanks to Gene for bringing this important issue to the forefront. He's been a consistent vocal advocate for honest amp ratings, and is the perfect person to lead the charge for a sensible, consumer-friendly solution. If you choose to let the government hear your voice, leave a comment below and encourage other enthusiasts to do the same.

 

[Todd Anderson]

(I'm throwing my voice into the mix, btw!)

 

[Sonnie Parker]

I was very brief as I didn't see the need to just repeat what most everyone else was stating. I think it will keep manufacturers somewhat honest, although I think the good ones will be honest either way. Plus a lot of guys out there are testing the specs... if it ain't right, manufacturers will be called out and shamed.

 

[Nordo]

Done.
I followed Gene's recommendations for multi-channel HT receivers.
And keep the 2 ch amps as per current regs.

 

[Head_Unit]

My views are that
(a) unless the FTC actually does some enforcement then the rules do not matter
(b) I am going to argue for totally prohibiting ANY ratings (excluding small print) which are not continuous, 20-20k (or maybe 40-20k?) and <=1% distortion. Yeah, some legitimate companies put a peak power rating which might be believable, but so what, that can be put in smaller print that cognoscenti can read. I'm more concerned about snuffing out "3000 watt" $100 hogwash, so irritating. And takes in the ignorant through no fault of their own.
(c) And extending same to autosound/boats etc.
(d) The business about multi channels driven...ya know, why NOT require all channels driven? OK, you can't get that much power out of the wall. Maybe that would be a revolution in its own right. Otherwise, sorry I think the 18% or whatever is half-assed. All channels or just two. If someone actually made a receiver whose power didn't droop as more channels were driven, they could add such a rating as a competitive advantage, just as some rate for 4 ohms and some don't.
(e) I'm also not convinced that this conventional wisdom that all channels are never driven at once is true. I've sure attended some movies where it seemed like they were! Hard data is lacking in this area, unless I've just missed it. Certainly I find it weird that AVRs are somehow excused for drooping their power in a manner which would surely be held up as shoddy in outboard amps. And I'd rather have an AVR that could really do say 7x90 instead of 2x140 drooping to 7x60 or whatever. Even if not clipped, I suspect the better regulated amp could sound better when approaching clipping, and maybe at lower levels besides.

 

[Todd Anderson]

My views are that
(a) unless the FTC actually does some enforcement then the rules do not matter
(b) I am going to argue for totally prohibiting ANY ratings (excluding small print) which are not continuous, 20-20k (or maybe 40-20k?) and <=1% distortion. Yeah, some legitimate companies put a peak power rating which might be believable, but so what, that can be put in smaller print that cognoscenti can read. I'm more concerned about snuffing out "3000 watt" $100 hogwash, so irritating. And takes in the ignorant through no fault of their own.
(c) And extending same to autosound/boats etc.
(d) The business about multi channels driven...ya know, why NOT require all channels driven? OK, you can't get that much power out of the wall. Maybe that would be a revolution in its own right. Otherwise, sorry I think the 18% or whatever is half-assed. All channels or just two. If someone actually made a receiver whose power didn't droop as more channels were driven, they could add such a rating as a competitive advantage, just as some rate for 4 ohms and some don't.
(e) I'm also not convinced that this conventional wisdom that all channels are never driven at once is true. I've sure attended some movies where it seemed like they were! Hard data is lacking in this area, unless I've just missed it. Certainly I find it weird that AVRs are somehow excused for drooping their power in a manner which would surely be held up as shoddy in outboard amps. And I'd rather have an AVR that could really do say 7x90 instead of 2x140 drooping to 7x60 or whatever. Even if not clipped, I suspect the better regulated amp could sound better when approaching clipping, and maybe at lower levels besides.

Agree with you 100% on "a." Although, I do believe it's better to have some standards as opposed to none. But enforcement of some kind would be nice.

As for "e," I've often wondered this as well. If anything, one could argue that channels outside of the front aren't asked to carry that much of the audio load when it appears that all channels are being driven. But, it would be nice to have an accurate rating. The real question becomes how much power does your speaker deployment actually need to recreate clean accurate sound at levels you desire? I suspect that most AVRs from big names in the market (even if specs are over stated) can drive the vast majority of systems out there. Could be wrong about that, tho.

 

[jdubs75]

My comments have been submitted.

 

[Head_Unit]

If anything, one could argue that channels outside of the front aren't asked to carry that much of the audio load when it appears that all channels are being driven.

Well, that's the question, isn't it? I wish there were some actual data about this, but I'm certainly not set up to take it. Someone once posted that "well those big explosions and all are mostly in the subwoofers, however more recent investigations (at ASR??) have shown that the highpass filtering while reducing power actually still uses a lot of voltage swing.

I suspect that most AVRs from big names in the market (even if specs are over stated) can drive the vast majority of systems out there.

I'd agree, rephrasing as "most AVRs will drive most people's systems loud enough for them." I would guess most people just don't play movies all that loud. Then you have some folks who really blast at theatre level or more, and most AVRs are probably NOT enough, unless they are running horn-loaded speakers.

 

[Ty_Tanium]

Does anyone know what the outcome was? Is the amplifier rule still in effect?