How do you benchtest amps to see actual RMS Power?

[AgEnT 10+ year member]

Im confused as to how people benchtest their amps. Do you have to take it somewhere?

Click to read more...

 

[luvinthebass 5,000+ posts]

i took mine to a car audio shop and they benchtested it for 10 bucks, they basically connected a resistor like a 4 ohm or a 2 ohm (DID NOT USE A SPEAKER) and used a power supply 12.5 v and a 13.8 volts since your alternator never stays a constant 14.4 then they used a oscilloscope, a Voltmeter that read AC volts and a test tone at 50 hz then cranked the gain till the signal clipped on the oscilloscope screen then they backed the gain down a tad and that was the total rms of the amp which for my kicker 600.1 was 632 watts at 2 ohms at 12.5 volts, it was cool to watch them set it up and stuff. quite the learnin experience

 

[coolahan 10+ year member]

i took mine to a car audio shop and they benchtested it for 10 bucks, they basically connected a resistor like a 4 ohm or a 2 ohm (DID NOT USE A SPEAKER) and used a power supply 12.5 v and a 13.8 volts since your alternator never stays a constant 14.4 then they used a oscilloscope, a Voltmeter that read AC volts and a test tone at 50 hz then cranked the gain till the signal clipped on the oscilloscope screen then they backed the gain down a tad and that was the total rms of the amp which for my kicker 600.1 was 632 watts at 2 ohms at 12.5 volts, it was cool to watch them set it up and stuff. quite the learnin experience

that sounds bad *** lol

 

[AgEnT 10+ year member]

omg field trip time!