Comments on: Stricter Amplifier Ratings Proposed

By: Isaac

Isaac — Sat, 02 Feb 2019 16:17:14 +0000

Goodbye Boss audio.

By: J. Shorkey

J. Shorkey — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 03:11:34 +0000

In reply to Williston Audio Labs. we thank you whole heartedly for the tests that you do! huge fan!

By: Ryan C

Ryan C — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 16:17:57 +0000

Once this happens, amplifiers and equipment should be randomly selected from retailers and tested by an independent lab. If they fail, they get fined and their accreditation suspended for x amount of time. Much like a drug test. I realize there is a fiscal component to this that would probably prevent that from happening so this is probably going to come down to getting manufacturer participate rates high and public awareness at a ludicrous amount.

By: John Ivey

John Ivey — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 15:50:36 +0000

In reply to Barry Vogel. 25 years ago it was not a problem. We couldn’t keep $1200.00 1000 watt Xtant amps in stock in the early 2000s. This started becoming a problem around 2007 but recently it has gotten way out of hand. I became the Chariman of the VTD on January 1st 2019 and all I can say is “Not on my watch.”

By: Andy Wehmeyer

Andy Wehmeyer — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 13:21:27 +0000

I was a chairperson on the 2006-A workgroup and we proposed that BS max power ratings wouldn’t be allowed. This was summarily rejected by by the marketers who made up the mobile board of directors because they believed that without those ratings, they wouldn’t be able to sell amps.

Maybe 15 years later, a new BOD will get on board. The real issue with the CEA rating is the abject failure of the CTA to market these specs independent of the complying manufacturers. The CTA isn’t the FTC or the FCC and the spec has no legal weight whatsoever. It’s a self certification program apparently intended to provide some measure of shielding for complying manufacturers from class action lawsuits.

It seems to me that the CTA has abandoned the aftermarket car audio category. I can’t imagine that this is going to do much of anything to affect consumer perception or the prevalence of fictitious amplifier specs.

By: Ken Fish

Ken Fish — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 09:18:07 +0000

In reply to JL. I think it is time for dealers to wake up! It is almost 2020! You can't run your store like it is 2010 and expect to do well. People prefer to buy online and want the best price, no matter what industry it is. If Pioneer and Kenwood raise their prices, then a new brand will just step in and start selling at the lower price. Brick and Mortar is changing, if you don't change then you will go out of business just like all the Brick and Mortar stores that are living in the past. You need to find new ways to bring customers into your store and offer them real value. Sure, you might not make a lot on selling the basic products but there is plenty of room for upsells, add-ons, and services to their initial order that will lead to more profit. Offer your customers top knotch installation, custom box building, other custom fabrication, sell car audio T-Shirts and decals, offer subwoofer and amplifier repair service, there are so many different ways to set yourself apart from the internet. Get creative! Complaining about how things used to be will get you no where. You could be spending that time doing something productive. Trust me there is plenty of new ways for Brick and Mortar stores to make lots money especially when you are selling an experience. Customers are willing to fork over lots of money if they see the value.

By: Eddie. (This is how we play)..

Eddie. (This is how we play).. — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 08:26:08 +0000

Many of the high power rated cheap amps never get a certified CEA 2006 stamp. It doesn’t take long to figure out you can’t by a 1000 watt amp for $60 . Like when JL came out they was around a buck per watt, and to this day they still make good amps. I have 2 slash amps I have ran since JL came out with the slash series. Bottom line, you get what you pay for. I think they should also make these company’s post the true THD @ rated power as well.

By: Kenneth

Kenneth — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 07:52:35 +0000

In the late sixties to the late eighties they used the ftc power ratings.For both home and car equipment . Research this .

By: CavemanTech

CavemanTech — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 06:34:22 +0000

But it will never have it, because the manufacturers will never back it in any way, just like their failure to back and validate MECP Certification.

By: Road

Road — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 04:50:43 +0000

Until the Federal Trade Commission gets involved & makes overating 12Volt Amps a false advertising issue (like it is in home audio) this will be a huge waste of effort.

By: Williston Audio Labs

Williston Audio Labs — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 03:32:51 +0000

I’ve been testing a lot of amplifiers over the past few years and I agree with this 100%. Way too much confusion out there and false ratings by some make it very difficult to compare amplifiers.

By: JL

JL — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 20:46:12 +0000

THIS NEEDS TO HAPPEN and it needs to be real with real consequences for breaking! However; I would much rather see manufactures wake up to what they have done and continue to do too our industry as a whole by allowing the wild west internet sales to continue. Our profits and average tickets have been cut dramatically over the years (especially the last 5 to 8 years) simply because to many vendors only care about moving boxes rather than the long term health of their dealer partners and the industry as a whole. 75% of maps are too low, starting from basic Pioneer, Kenwood etc. head units and going all the way up and through their lines. Consumers are not demanding these fuller featured and lower mapped products, it’s Pioneer and others that set the low maps and force everybody to follow. The end result is everybody loses, Pioneer doesn’t sell more boxes because they set the LOW price when everybody else matches them anyway. All that happens is consumers pay less, we all make less and it’s killing the brick and mortar shops year after year. It’s like our vendor partners are eating their own and it has to stop people!

By: Dave MacKinnon

Dave MacKinnon — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 20:44:36 +0000

How’s about some clarification of the gain requirements for S/N Ratio testing?

By: Mark Giovannetti

Mark Giovannetti — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 19:52:52 +0000

About time.

By: GARY PROBST Keith Electronics

GARY PROBST Keith Electronics — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 17:42:45 +0000

I’ve been educating my customers about false amplifier ratings for the past 40 years.

By: Lenny

Lenny — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 17:34:53 +0000

Much needed, consumers are not getting what they think their getting. Customers are always walking into our store with a 4,000 or 2,000 watt amp that they paid $125 online and really think their getting true power. Then you explain it to them and of course they still feel it’s a good amp until you show them the owners manual and it’s more like 200 watts. It really hurts the industry as a whole for those who sell only quality products in their stores. Happens all the time.

By: JARRED GUIDELLI

JARRED GUIDELLI — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 17:23:16 +0000

OOOOOOO AHHHHHH the amp police LOL!!!!

By: Al Congdon

Al Congdon — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 16:56:00 +0000

Long overdue. Enough said.

By: Ray Windsor

Ray Windsor — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 16:43:33 +0000

My two cents… The sanctioning body should authorize using the CES 2006 mark (small partial cost covering fee in addition to dues), make sure the certification is NOT SELF certification and work towards a UL type (lite – miniature – less complicated) model where model numbers are certified and listed in a publicly available data base. Game changer.

Ray Windsor

By: lucas fidler

lucas fidler — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 16:40:30 +0000

All of those manufacturers making the cheap junk will just choose to not participate. It’ll mean nothing at all.