For over a decade, there has been a fundamental gap in how performance information is shared in the smart home industry. This is why the CEDIA Standards Committee has worked on a new recommended practice called RP1.
Where Did RP1 Come From?
For over a decade, there has been a fundamental gap in how performance information is shared in the smart home industry. About ten years ago, Anthony Grimani – a recent CEDIA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient – began championing a crucial idea: the need for genuine, transparent engineering data in the market sector.
While spec sheets are common, their real-world meaning for professionals has often been questionable. A specification might claim “100 watts per channel” or “50 Hertz to 20K” frequency response, but without context and detail, these numbers do little to inform integrators on the best product for their project.
Things look very different in the commercial audio world. Visit any pro audio manufacturer at industry shows such as ISE, and you’re likely to be handed a comprehensive document containing raw engineering specifications. This is a business-to-business environment where technical facilities managers and audio professionals demand rigorous data.
The residential world, by contrast, grew out of the hi-fi and consumer electronics marketplace, where such transparency wasn’t prioritized and consumers often lacked the background to dive into detailed engineering facts.
What Is RP1?
The inspiration behind RP1, colloquially referred to as “performance facts” is akin to the nutritional information panels found on food packaging. The idea is to highlight key attributes – those crucial pieces of data that allow for quick, informed decision-making – while still providing the ability to dig deeper into more granular details for those who need them.
The recommended practice asks manufacturers to provide clear, consistent engineering facts about the performance of their products, laid out in an accessible, standardized format. The goal isn’t to judge, rank, or review products, but to provide integrators with reliable facts so that they can make the best possible choices for their clients.
RP1 has been in the making for approximately six years, and the Standards Committee launched the first iteration at CEDIA Expo 2025, which is the industry review version of the RP1-1 loudspeakers recommended practice (the forthcoming documents—amplifiers, AV processors, projectors, screens—are already being worked on).
Why Do We Need RP1?
If the smart home industry aspires to enhance consumer trust and deliver predictable engineered experiences, then robust, standardized performance data is non-negotiable.
In the Integrator of 2027 white paper, we discussed the key processes that integrators need to complete—discovery, design, and engineering. It’s at that stage that performance facts are going to be the most disruptive of all the recommended practices because the data from RP1 will allow integrators to professionally engineer systems. This then justifies integrators charging for their professional services, which let’s face it, in an era where margins are declining, is getting increasingly important.
RP1 is about empowering our industry to become technical authorities and transform the way we communicate and evaluate technology. With this Recommended Practice, the industry will be able to deliver quantifiable, objective information to clients and partners, elevating the professionalism and accountability of CEDIA members globally.
Training and resources, including the recently announced Reference Audio Levels and SPL Capabilities white paper, will ensure that the knowledge and impact of RP1 extend long after the initial launch at CEDIA Expo.
RP1 is the first step towards a broader transformation in the smart home industry. One that values transparency, technical expertise, and professionalism. With this Recommended Practice, CEDIA aims to elevate the industry and lay the groundwork for future documents that will further empower both integrators and build trust with their clients.
CEDIA is running a number of training sessions at ISE to discuss RP1 in more detail. To view these courses, visit iseurope.org/content-programme/smart-home-technology-conference.
