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Bronze Member Username: MadeupnamePost Number: 20 Registered: Sep-05 | what exactly clipping and what does it do to your sub. anyone with a scientific explenation is more then welcome to answer. thanks |
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Silver Member Username: TdisantoPost Number: 239 Registered: Sep-05 | clipping occurs when your amp does not have enough power to produce the amplitude that your requesting it to produce (ie you cranked your HU and your amp cant deliver the power your requesting, or your charging system isnt adequate) What happens is the amp starts to clip the signal and the sign wave starts to look more and more like a square wave as clipping gets worse. What that means to your subs/speakers is that your sending the voice coils DC, they only like AC. So basically they are getting hotter but not moving as much, thus they dont have as much cooling (they are air cooled while they oscillate on the pole) that they get when AC is applied. So your coils heat up and eventually get destroyed. Clipping is def. audible and it can be heard as distortion. So if you hear distortion turn it down. |
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Platinum Member Username: GlasswolfWisteria, Lane USA Post Number: 10659 Registered: Dec-03 | Clipping: What is this? Clipping is a term which many people have probably heard, but may not fully understand. Very simply, clipping of an amplifier occurs when one tries to get a larger output signal out of an amplifier than it was designed to provide. As stated before, all power amplifiers have a DC power supply which provides power to (among other things) the output stage of the amplifier. For most amplifiers, the power supply consists of a "plus" supply and a "minus" supply. The two voltages are often referred to as "rail voltages" or simply "rails". As an example, a 200 watt per channel amplifier (at 4 ohms) might have a power supply voltage (rails) of +/- 120 volts DC. This means that the output voltage which drives the speaker can never exceed + 120 or - 120 volts. If the amplifier is playing at near full volume, and someone cranks up the volume, the amplifier will attempt to put out more power. However, the power required to meet the sudden new demand for more volume cannot be met by the power supply voltage, which has limits of +/-120 volts in this example. The result is a waveform with the top portion (or peak) "clipped" off (hence the term "clipping"). Such clipping represents a distortion which is added to the waveform (and if it is severe enough it will be clearly audible). If a signal is severely clipped, the waveform takes on the shape of a "square wave", and the resulting sound will be absolutely hideous. Clipping can be easily observed using an oscilloscope attached to the amplifier output. Clipping is not usually a major problem for amplifiers (unless it is extreme), but it can be very detrimental to speakers. Whenever clipping occurs, two things happen: (1) the spectral content of the music signal is altered (high frequency components are generated), and (2) signal compression occurs. If excessive clipping occurs, tweeters will be the first to blow followed by midrange drivers. Woofers are best equipped to survive clipping (unless the abuse is blatant or the subs are poorly designed.) In general, clipping of an amplifier should be avoided. Use an amplifier that has clipping indicators, and pay attention to them! Occasional clipping is OK and probably not very audible. However if you find yourself clipping the amp most of the time, you should consider obtaining a stronger (or additional) amplifier. http://www.wickedcases.com/caraudio/amplifiers.html |
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Bronze Member Username: MadeupnamePost Number: 21 Registered: Sep-05 | thanks mike, glass. the jl 500/1..does it have a clipping indicator. is that the ohm light? |
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SLM Unregistered guest | why do makers of amps allow them to clip? cant they make amps that have a max output and then stays at that output even if you increase the volume? |
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Platinum Member Username: GlasswolfWisteria, Lane USA Post Number: 10674 Registered: Dec-03 | too many variables due to too many companies with different product specs. head unit line voltages differ, as do the recording levels for various media.. CDs, DVDs, radio, XM/Serius, etc.. all of these affect the final input voltage at the amplifeir's input stage, and the input stage needs that voltage within a specific range to operate at it's peak. Thus, you have to set the input sensitivity manually to compensate for those variables. if one company made the entire audio system, and produced all of the CDs you listen to, and broadcast everything you tuned into on the radio etc.. everything would be pre-matched, and there'd be no need for manual tweaking of anything.. |
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Gold Member Username: CarguyPost Number: 4590 Registered: Nov-04 | That's what Sony wanted you to believe with their make "everything" approach. The day Sony goes out of business, there will be sunshine. |
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Gold Member Username: RovinTrinidad & T... Post Number: 1140 Registered: Jul-05 | The 1 company that probably does all that would be Sony - but its not necessary for me to say what is known about their car audio line-up lol |
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Bronze Member Username: MadeupnamePost Number: 23 Registered: Sep-05 | you think ppl at companies read this and come up wit sum ideas from it? |
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New member Username: Soundtech26Chilliwack, BC Canada Post Number: 7 Registered: Oct-05 | Clipping occurs when transistor VCC is reached and the signal exceeds this limit. Yes it is possible for amplifier companies to produce amplifiers that do not clip however the cost can be excessive and mild clipping is usually not audible to the naked ear. A negative feedback system can be incorporated to an amp but due to the large differences in the parameters of speakers connected to these amps it could double the size of every amplifier with the added circuitry. Honda actually created a negative feedback system in some of there honda Preludes by incorporating a small microphone in the speaker to take a signal reading and detect any clipping at the audio level. This system cuts back on amplification when distortion is measured and found to be beyond tolerance....good idea! However most audiophiles play there music so that the amp is soft clipping as this is the most efficient level an amplifier runs at. The rest is far too complex to get into on this forum unless you have extensive knowledge of electronic circuits. Keep it loud and clean from canada peace out. |
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Silver Member Username: TdbdadrummerPost Number: 394 Registered: Aug-05 | I almost blew a Sony sub tonight at Wal-Mart. Although I noticed Wal-Mart was selling the Pioneer DEH-6700? model of HU. That I found to be strange, as isn't that a better of Pioneer's HUs? |
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Gold Member Username: RovinTrinidad & T... Post Number: 1185 Registered: Jul-05 | Well they must @ least stick in a decent brand or 2 amid the junk - i bet it was way overpriced though . Looking @ 12" Alpine R subs right now online , some stores have it $117 while Best/worstbuy has it for $ 220 !!!!!!!! OMG ! |
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Silver Member Username: MrdarkPost Number: 139 Registered: Dec-04 | this is why having a ho alternator is so important. |