RMS
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Short for Root Means Square, RMS is often defined as the effective current used in electrical current values. In the context of amplifier or speaker power ratings, RMS, as measured in watts, is a rating that remains somewhat consistant between manufacturers, and can thus be used for comparisons.
In electronics, there are many methods with which to take measurements. With power ratings, three are rather common - peak-to-peak, peak, and RMS. These three specifications are direct reflections of a power measurement as seen on an instrument known as an oscilloscope. When viewing the output of an amplifier (or the input to a speaker) on this equipment, one can track a varying "trace" above and below a center line. Peak-to-peak measures the distance between the highest and the lowest positions attained on the scope. Peak measures the distance between the center line and one or the other extreme. RMS results from a mathematical formula: rms = Vp x .707 where "Vp" is peak rms = Vpp x .3535 where "Vpp" is peak-to-peak |
