"Creative" Math in Output Wattage Ratings

[mr_fender]

Headrush FRFR-112 Mk II is advertised as having "2500 watts of peak power"
Power consumption rating is 1100 watts.

1100 watt power rating is RMS, so we multiply by 1.414 to get peak = about 1555 watts.

Headrush has somehow invented a 160% efficient amplifier.

This is just one example. There are MANY out there if you look at the actual specs for products.

 

[2204JCM]

Headrush FRFR-112 Mk II is advertised as having "2500 watts of peak power"
Power consumption rating is 1100 watts.

1100 watt power rating is RMS, so we multiply by 1.414 to get peak = about 1555 watts.

Headrush has somehow invented a 160% efficient amplifier.

This is just one example. There are MANY out there if you look at the actual specs for products.

The Headrush is a cheap piece of crap. Doesn’t really matter what they claim…

 

[Budda]

Then theres tube amp ratings: 100w heads pushing 150w+ at more extreme settings, or just measuring past 100w in the first place (my 2203 was 130w clean).

Just in case people think its only entry level gear with misleading numbers

 

[elvis]

Audio engineer here.

Peak power (or Peak Music Power, or the like) is a spec that shows power in a particular condition where the output is momentarily pushing a lot of power relative to its rated power. Power consumption is an average. Peaks are pulled from the power supply capacitors, and can run many times the average power. In essence, the "thump" of dance music is a temporary event, and amps can generally accommodate additional temporary power for such events. Always use RMS if you're not into dance music.

"Tube Watts" is a significant misnomer. There are many ways to look at the question. The one that makes sense to me:
RMS power is generally rated at a THD level, usually 1% or 10%. It is not the LIMIT of power, it is the available power at a given fidelity.
Solid-state amps are all-or-nothing, they hard-clip. So they are very low THD until they clip, then they are infinite THD and produce no additional power when you turn them up more.
Tube amps generally have a softer clip profile: they are pretty high THD well before they run out of power.
So they may be 1% THD at 50W, then 10% THD at 100W, then 50% THD at 150W. And rated as 50W at 1% THD.
For HiFi, this would be appropriate, as more than 1% THD would be objectionable, and you wouldn't run a stereo at higher output.
For guitar, more distortion is better, turn it up!