Good one Trunk! HAH! Can't get over how these companies lead people on with their quoted ouput power. :rofl:
RMS, PEOPLE! That's the only REAL power measurement.
I actually got hold of the datasheet for the power amplifier chips used in the Blaupunkt - the power output quoted by SGS Microelectronics (manufacturer of the chip) for the TDA7375A device is 25W when in bridged mode (as it is in the Blaupunkt)
if the voltage supply is 14.4V! The best voltage measurement I got out of the unit was 12.6V, which would equate to about 19W assuming every single connecion was perfect, and there are zero losses between the amp and speaker (those of us who live in the real world know that there's no such thing!), and that the amplifier's saturation voltage is zero. (the output transistors in most amps still lose about 0.3-0.5V at saturation) So Trunk, I reckon your 17W is pretty well on the button.
Oh - one tip for anyone with the Blaupunkt unit - DISABLE that silly "Audio Distortion Limiter" that comes up in the trip computer options. When I hooked up my amp it sounded like CRAP because this limiting function starts to activate when the level gets up a bit. It sounds HEAPS better at high levels with that turned off - you just have to be careful that you don't let things overdrive too much. Train your ear - you'll be able to hear when your amp or speakers are overloading.
(it's like the days before they put rev-limiters in cars, you had to make sure you weren't over-revving - sure the limiter makes life a bit easier, but....)
In fact, if the low-level signals are picked up from inside the Blaupunkt unit (and amplified externally), the sound quality is remarkably good for a stock system - as long as you turn off the distortion limiting!!
Then you don't have to worry about "stinger" converters for the buttons and so on.
(I also turned off that pain-in-the-arse "speed dependant volume" thingy)
Cheerz!
