Clipping

 

I recently bought a new Audiobahn high voltage amp. It's a a2200hct if any one cares. With that im powering two infinity kappa perfect 10 dvq's at 2 ohm loads, they have 400w rms and 1600w peak. At 2 ohms the amp provides 400w of rms power per channel. The amp comes with a bass boost control that also indicates clipping. At loud volumes the boost control indicates that the amp is clipping, but i know that i should be able to turn it up louder. My question is how bad really is this clipping for my speakers, and how can i maybe set my eq's so i can get more volume with out clipping
 

great question, most people who don't know, don't ask.. :) props.

Clipping is 95% of the time the reason speakers get blown.. clipping, excessively heats the voice coil and they get burnt up, or (eg:glues melt) letting the Voice coils unravel.
Any clipping is garrenteed to shorten your speakers life.. It is a "FACT" that a 10 watt amp could easily burn out even your (nice 400 rms ) speakers.. Ironicly, this the problem, Most speakers are blown because there ampifier is to small to be used at the volume the lissener (hopely owner :) is tring to achive..
(hence why manufactures only garentee against defect)
the reason technically (in few words) why clipping is so bad, is because when the amp is tring to do more than it can, it will just maintain it's max. Which is DC.. the dc heats the voice coil of the speaker without creating movement which cools the voice coil.
You are much better off putting too much unclipped power into a speaker, than any clipping..
hopefully that helps..
in terms of preventing clipping : turn down bass, turn down volume or buy a bigger amp.
or break em :)


- keep in mind all units starting at your head unit will clipp at a what-ever point.. the reason for the gains on the amplifier, are to turn them up or down so both units clip at the same time.. to get max output ..

-your head unit will start to clipp at about 75% when all bass,treble,loudness,dsp's,EQ's are off or nuetral.. if you turn one of em up,(espessially bass) it will clipp sooner...

for those of you without clipping lightss - if when you turn the volume up.. the sound should not change in any way, but get louder.. if the sound in some way changes, your clippin badly :)
 

p.s if your amp is capable of less than 2 ohms per channel.. than could be a source of more power..
 

John A.
Once you've heard clipping, you know what it is. The sound breaks up as with poor satellite reception, but much more painful to hear. A light on the receiver doesn't really tell you.
 

G-Man
John A is correct. If your speakers are distorting-- back off on the volume. Either the amp is clipping or your speakers cannot handle the power.

Continue at your own peril, because if you ignore this situation you risk destroying your speakers and/or your amp.
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