Channel power (@4-ohms)
Rated power output by the amplifier per channel when a load (speakers) with a nominal impedance of 4 ohms is connected to it. For details, see "Nom. channel power (at 1 Ohm)”.
Max. power
The highest
output power provided by the amplifier. It is worth noting that this indicator is not standardized, and different manufacturers may mean different values \u200b\u200bfor it — for example, the highest power of short-term, in a fraction of a second, peaks (power surges), the highest power that the amplifier can transfer for several seconds, or even the power at which the device will fail. Therefore, it makes no sense to compare different models with each other in terms of maximum power. But when choosing acoustics for an amplifier (or vice versa), this parameter can be very useful: it is desirable that the maximum power of the speaker be at least twice as high as that of the amplifier. This will reduce the risk that a power surge will damage the speakers.
Signal-to-noise ratio
One of the main parameters that determine the sound quality of the amplifier as a whole: it describes the ratio of the useful signal (in other words, “clean” sound) and various extraneous noises. This takes into account almost all noise — both due to external causes (for example, electrical "pickup"), and created by the device itself (for example, due to heating during operation). Accordingly, the higher the signal-to-noise ratio, the less audibility of various interferences and the clearer the sound is obtained (of course, under normal operating parameters). The average for car audio is 95-100 dB, but in advanced models this value
can be significantly higher.
At the same time, this parameter is not critical for monoblocks designed for subwoofers — most of the interference is high-frequency and will simply not be heard on the low-frequency speaker. The sound quality in this case is highly dependent on the characteristics of the speaker (much more than in multi-channel models), and is weakly related to the “noiselessness” of the amplifier.
Fuse rating
The rating of the fuse installed in the amplifier is the current strength, at which the fuse operates, opening the circuit and de-energizing the device in order to avoid unpleasant consequences (see "Protection — Short circuit protection"). In some models, several fuses can be installed — in this case, this is usually directly indicated in the characteristics, and the current required to operate the protection corresponds to the sum of the ratings. For example, the rating marked "4x25 A" corresponds to four fuses that operate at a current strength of more than 100 A.
This parameter determines, first of all, the features of the power connection: it is desirable that the fuse in the corresponding section of the on-board network of the car be of a higher rating than in the amplifier, otherwise it may burn out at a current that is quite normal for the device. In addition, the fuse rating is related to the power rating of the amplifier and can be useful if you have doubts about the reliability of the data specified by the manufacturer. There are special formulas that allow you to calculate the maximum possible rated power depending on the fuse rating and device class (see above).