Another dumb question----

Perhaps 'intended' performance is the right word. You can change the performance to some degree by advancing or retarding yourself. Advanced builds more cylinder pressure at lower RPM (per the DCR increase that you can calculate), and typically improves lower RPM performance, and retarding does the opposite. My impression is that the grinds of these mild to moderate cams have some advance built in so they will be better at lower RPM's and the customer's won't knock them for being doggy....