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Bronze Member Username: FiberPost Number: 73 Registered: Mar-06 | what exacly is amp clipping? |
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Silver Member Username: Opie_harSomewhere, One of them USA Post Number: 135 Registered: Oct-04 | Josh, I hope this helps you. This is from Glasswolf's website www.wickedcases.com I hope he doesn't mind since I am giving him credit and that this is posted for information purposes only. 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. |
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Bronze Member Username: FiberPost Number: 77 Registered: Mar-06 | Thank you very helpfull, this info tells me that my amp is clipping and that b!tch has got to go. |