Clipping: How to Recognize It

[bfish]

I looked up iTunes EQ ability out of curiousity and learned it allows +/- 12dB in several "bands", the lowest at 32Hz. Either the iTunes designer is an idiot, or has an interest in a recone shop.

+12dB at 32Hz, a little Dark Side of the Moon (or pipe organ)...I can smell the smoke from here...

[Sounder]

Bfish,

iClipping.... LOL. I love it (the comment, not the clipping).

Thanks, again, for the pertinent info on iTunes and distortion. I guess it really was clipping after all. Glad I nipped it in the iBud before it blew my speakers.

Last night, I installed Airfoil, an add-on that allows me to play MP3's over Airport (wireless network). Airfoil claims to work with any program. Since QuickTime does not distort like iTunes, I will use Airfoil + QT + Airport.

You know, I have a copy of Darkside of the Moon (still on LP) so it's a good thing that I didn't iTune it and melt down the AlNiCo's and GPA 604's. Whew.....

Many, many thanks!

John

[Bill F777]

When an amplifier "clips" there are a lot of high frequency harmonics made that get sent right to the diaphragm by the crossover, this can damage a diaphragm. I run a 500 watt amp on my A7's I know this much power is not necessary for home use, but I have pleanty of clean power. Furthermore I have fuses installed on the speakers, one at the input to the speaker and one just for the horn driver, so my speakers are safe.

[Sounder]

Bill777 and others,

I've considered adding in-line fuses for my speakers to prevent damage.

Could someone suggest the type and amperage to use? For example: fast blow 1A. I honestly dunno. I'm using speakers rated at 35W and 60W (GPA 604's).

Thanks,
John

[Steve Mac]

If you use active eq and clip, adding passive "smoothing" eq across/inline with the drivers should protect the drivers from the square wave harmonics which lie outside the transucer's operating range. If you want to hear a great square wave performance, listen to Prince's guitar on "When Doves Cry".

[bfish]

Originally posted by Sounder:
...Could someone suggest the type and amperage to use? For example: fast blow 1A...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">http://www.trueaudio.com/st_prot1.htm

Note that fuses and other overcurrent devices only protect from overcurrent. They won't help a bit for clipping. You need to eliminate the potential for clipping at the source...everything before the speaker. This means an amp with more clean power than the speaker can handle, and limiting the input level to it so clipping can't happen.

As ol' Barn says, "nip it in the bud".

[Bill F777]

I mentioned having a 500 watt on the A7 speakers at home, I fuse them so low that the fuse will blow before the amp gets even near clipping. Also the fuses are there to stop anybody who feels like playing heavy metal at too high a volume, I can't always be there to babysit my sound system.