How do I get max power out of my amp?

When you bridge an amp do you get the max power all the time?

• Ex. A 1000 watt amp. 1000 watts is the maximum power when bridged. Lets say the amp is 1000W x 1 @ 4 ohms bridged. When bridged is this 1000W continuous power or just max power? Next question. What if I have two subs. Since the amp is 1000W x 1 @ 4ohms. Will having two subs @ 4 ohms combined half the 1000W to 500W for each sub?

• Answer:

  RMS (abbreviation for root mean square) is a way of measuring alternating current (AC) by averaging the power. Power (measured in watts) is a 'snapshot' of the amount of work being done at any point in time. It has no specified time component. There are a lot of different ways to rate an amplifier's output power capabilities. A few possible ways to rate amplifiers: Watts (not much information and lends itself to many different interpretations). When manufacturers state the power output in 'watts' (and only 'watts' i.e. 800 watts), they want you to assume that the wattage rating is an accurate measurement of the amplifiers ability to do a given amount of work (driving your speakers). In reality, the power rating could be derived by using peak voltage instead of the more honest RMS voltage when plugging the numbers into the formula P=E^2/R. This would give a power output/rating that's TWICE the RMS power output. Peak watts (misleading because many will take it as a true measure of the work that the amplifier will do when driving the speakers). If the manufacturer specifies wattage as 'peak power' they may say that they aren't trying to mislead their customers, but usually that that is precisely what they are trying to do. They assume that the vast majority of people are going to accept the wattage as the maximum power that the amplifier can produce. If they use peak voltage to derive the peak power, the power specification may be legitimate but it is misleading. The peak power is mathematically twice the RMS power output. RMS watts (Better than peak power but it also lends itself to misinterpretation because it contains no specified element of time). RMS wattage is an accurate way to measure power but the amplifier may only be able to produce the RMS voltage into the given load for a fraction of a second. A less than honest manufacturer may plug this RMS voltage into the P=E^2/R formula and give this number as the amplifier's output. If they give this as the power output of the amplifier but don't tell you that the amplifier can't continuously produce this power level, they are again misleading you. RMS continuous watts (the best, most accurate, and honest way to measure power output). When manufacturers rate their amplifiers at a given number of RMS watts continuous power output. They are using RMS wattage (derived from RMS voltage) which is the most accurate way to state the useful power produced by the amplifier. There is only one way to interpret this. They are also stating that the amplifier can produce the power continuously. If they didn't specify continuous power they may be trying to cover up the fact that the amplifier could only produce the RMS voltage required to drive the given load to a given RMS power for a fraction of a second (like in the previous example). When they state continuous output power, they are saying that the amplifier can continuously produce the rated output power. And yes, the TOTAL power from any amp is divided between (or among) the loads (speakers) connected to it. So if 2 speakers with the same impedance are connected to an amp channel that outputs 1,000 watts, each speaker will dissipate one-half the power (500 watts). Whether the loads (speakers) are connected in parallel or series doesn't matter. Current divides across a parallel circuit while voltage divides across a series circuit. However, when 2 or more loads are connected in parallel the final impedance that the amp "sees" is lower than the lowest individual impedance. In the case of a pair of 4 ohm speakers, the final impedance would be 2 ohms. And when 2 or more loads are connected in series the final impedance is the sum of all individual impedances. In the case of a pair of 4 ohms speakers, the final impedance would be 8 ohms. Only 1/4 as much power (watts) is dissipated into an 8 ohm load as compared to a 2 ohm load.