Letter to the USACi R & E committee

Date: May 15, 2008

To: Rules and Ethics Committee

From: Gabriel Sanchez

Regarding: Amplifier testing rule

The posted rule as stated in the USACi rule book is as follows:

“A USACI member may protest the output of any brand and model of amplifier. The protest procedure will entail the member sending a letter of protest to the USACI office containing the make and model of the amplifier to be protested. A $300 nonrefundable protest fee must accompany this request. USACI will acquire the amplifier and test the mplifiers at the USACI offices in order ascertain if the amplifier’s actual output falls within the published output specified by the manufacturer. If this amplifier is found to produce 120% or more of its rated power, that
amplifier will be disqualified until the manufacturer correctly rates that amplifier. The USACI rating standard is 14.4 volts with a 4 ohm non-inductive load measured at 62hz at 1% THD.”

I will break this down because of a recent amplifier posting on the forum for a decision as to the validity of the tested results PER THE ABOVE RULE.

Part A - A USACI member may protest the output of any brand and model of amplifier. The protest procedure will entail the member sending a letter of protest to the USACI office containing the make and model of the amplifier to be protested. A $300 nonrefundable protest fee must accompany this request.

• There is nothing wrong with this part of the rule. It is okay

Part B - USACI will acquire the amplifier and test the amplifiers at the USACI offices in order ascertain if the amplifier’s actual output falls within the published output specified by the manufacturer.

• According to the posted rule, USACi will be performing the test. It does NOT state that an independent facility CAN be used instead.

• Because that is NOT stated the rating given by the testing facility can only be used as reference and NOT a means to Rerate and amplifier

Part C - If this amplifier is found to produce 120% or more of its rated power, that amplifier will be disqualified until the manufacturer correctly rates that amplifier.

• There is nothing wrong with what is stated here … BUT … in previous years the tolerance was 130%. Any amplifier tested and deemed passing under the old tolerance MUST be tested under the new tolerance to ensure a level playing field.

• Not accomplishing a retest puts any new amplifier being tested at a disadvantage on a going forward basis.

Part D - The USACI rating standard is 14.4 volts with a 4 ohm non-inductive load measured at 62hz at 1% THD.

• This is a pretty cut and dry statement … however it only partially conforms to the CEA amplifier rating standard. That being the voltage, THD, and load. The frequency in which is stated in the rule is completely against the standard.

• I understand that in the SPL arena 62 HZ is a pretty good mid point for which we play at … BUT … again this does NOT conform to the CEA standard. That means that USACi has developed their own proprietary method of testing amplifiers that only partially at best conforms to the industry we are a part of. Why should we make our own standard as opposed to working with a standard that is already in place in our industry?

• Again taking a look at the above portion of the stated rule … it states 14.4 volts. According to the test completed on the DDM3 that voltage was never sustained. Therefore yet again, the test produced should be invalid.

• The next thing you will notice is the specified frequency stated in the rule book. The test performed did not use that frequency … again another example as to the validity of the results.
Bottom line is that the published is rule is not being adhered to. A rule is a rule if it is published. So my official question to the R & E committee is this … Can the results generated by this third party company be used to rerate an amplifier when it goes completely against the posted rule itself?

This is simply an inquiry and not meant to flame on anyone. Please DO NOT post negatively on this.

Jesus does that basically say lets keep it the way it was and use 30% instead of 20% fool or what,,, IM HIGH FOOL

i think it would be easier to keep it at 30% personally as opposed to retesting all these other amps. good points gabe, but it wont pass 30% once they get the voltage up. what if it fails by .01vs? should it be rerated or should they let it slide because people bought 600w amps "unknowingly". like ralph said, show me the rules and ill show 20 ways around them.

It would stilll fail on that note Charles... Remember one of the times of the three or four times it got protested and rerated... We missed the one time by 1 watt and they moved it up... YOU MEMBER>

I am not saying I have a problem with this amp failing at all.

My whole point is that it needs to fail under what is stated IN THE RULES verbatim!

Basically I am protesting the protesting procedure to the R&E committee.

yes. but what my point was or is, that people still bought amps that were border line and they knew it! bite the bullet and change classes or get another amp.people dont have a problem with the rules until it effects them.

Kewl. Not bashing you at all just seeing if i understand the lawyer style letter...LOL Im too st st stupid to see it.


I still say keep the old way and most of the ppl that have contacted me feel the same keep the 30% so everyone doesn't have to send in 300 to reprotest amp that were previously done.

Time for a committee meeting........

I really dont even see a point of a meeting.... Cut and Dry it should stay like it is ..... NO point in change on this at this time IMO........

Stingraysevenout wrote:

Kewl. Not bashing you at all just seeing if i understand the lawyer style letter...LOL Im too st st stupid to see it.


I still say keep the old way and most of the ppl that have contacted me feel the same keep the 30% so everyone doesn't have to send in 300 to reprotest amp that were previously done.

You understand it just fine buddy. Sorry for the lawyer style letter, I just wanted to make it formal in order to submit it.

BTW, I will be in Texas in a couple of days.

I feel the same way Jimbo.................

I agree. it should be tested at the proper voltage and kept at 30%.

Subject: Re: DDM3 Protest Results Today at 11:32 pm

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Wow one of the things said in there was pretty interesting....NOw in this case the manufacturer rating is 770 its in a manual????? Ohhhhhhhhh Lawd well then everyone knew this was gonna happen.... And it is the higher rating ... Usaci states goes with the higher of the two... So this amp is 770 PERIOD.


lol, i just pulled out my user manual and it reads 770 @ 4 ohm, 1900 @ 1 ohm 12v, 2600 @ 1 ohm 14.4v, 3000 @ 1 ohm 16.0v.

so many differing ratings

I have no feelin which way it goes as far as 20-30. BUt I would sure love to know how to get the "USACI " rating on my amps. I know what Treo says but I want to send one of mine in to test. I have called the office and was told they call me back, pm the Head Guy. Nada. From what I gather is I just protest my amp. So would I send my amp to him still or not? Just tryin to keep the feild level and double check.

Thanks Gabe your letter looks good.