measuring by the book

When it comes to buying audio equipment, the specifications given in advertisements and manufacturer`s literature may prove to be woefully misleading. Often, consumers misunderstand the technical `jargon`; furthermore, manufacturers tend to stress those figures that make their product `look good` and only include other specifications in small print -if at all. Confusion becomes complete when all sorts of new inventions are included in an otherwise technical specification list. Take, for instance, `Instantaneous peak music power, one channel driven` ... Ugh. The American Institute of High Fidelity (IHF) recently published a new standard, dealing with `Methods of Measurement for Audio Amplifiers`. Some of the most important points are dealt with in this article.