amp clipping is a function of...?

[frankiebones 10+ year member]

my alpine 9856 is hooked up to a Kicker KX650.4, which pushes my morel components (with 2 channels currently unused). right now, the amp clips when the volume is at 23/35. 22/35 is fine, but as soon as you get to 35 you can hear the sine wave is flat at the top and bottom. if my gains were set higher, would the morel comps be louder at 22 and still clip at 23? or would the amp begin to clip at a diff volume (higher? lower? i have no idea so...)

thanks guys

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[mikeyboc 10+ year member]

If the gains were higher, it would start to clip at a lower volume (if I understood your question right).

 

[ramos 5,000+ posts]

my alpine 9856 is hooked up to a Kicker KX650.4, which pushes my morel components (with 2 channels currently unused). right now, the amp clips when the volume is at 23/35. 22/35 is fine, but as soon as you get to 35 you can hear the sine wave is flat at the top and bottom. if my gains were set higher, would the morel comps be louder at 22 and still clip at 23? or would the amp begin to clip at a diff volume (higher? lower? i have no idea so...)
thanks guys

lowering the gains would make the amp clip at a higher volume on the head unit. But I got to know , what exactly does " you can hear the sine wave is flat at the top and bottom" sound like ? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[frankiebones 10+ year member]

so if i turned the gains up, i couldnt turn the volume on the HU as high, but it would (in most cases) make the dB level of the speakers increase at various volume settings on the HU, rigtht?

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

You will get the same volume total, but the volume would come eariler on the HU volume dial.

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/word.gif.64b12e39f936af3b4fff38a1c0bd0244.gif

The maximum output level of your system would not change. It would simply get louder sooner. So instead of being able to turn it up to, say, 25/35 (made up for example purposes), you would only be able to turn the volume level up to 15/35.

Your not gaining any output, just limited the range of the volume control you can use.

 

[GrnEydDvl 10+ year member]

lowering the gains would make the amp clip at a higher volume on the head unit. But I got to know , what exactly does " you can hear the sine wave is flat at the top and bottom" sound like ? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

1kHz tone

Not clipping:

http://www.resnet.trinity.edu/areynol1/hosting/1000sine.mp3

Clipping:

http://www.resnet.trinity.edu/areynol1/hosting/1000square.mp3

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

I think his point was that you can't "hear" the flatting of the wave, it simply sounds like distortion.

 

[GrnEydDvl 10+ year member]

I think his point was that you can't "hear" the flatting of the wave, it simply sounds like distortion.

There is a coloring of the sound beyond just the addition of distortion when a head unit begins to clip.

I was posting because he did ask what it sounds like; perhaps he was just making a joke. But also so others who might not know what to listen for could have an idea.

Also, it is "flattening" not "flatting".

 

[mannyb18b]

Ya I dont believe the ear can detect the wave flattening out, it would just sound like distortion. Set your gains properly an you shouldnt have a problem

 

[DBfan187 5,000+ posts]

your ear can detect it, it will sound like multiple tones simitaniously.

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

your ear can detect it, it will sound like multiple tones simitaniously.

But you don't say "Man, that waveform sounds like it's flat, you must be clipping" //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

Your ear doesn't detect that the waveform is flat, it detects the added distortion (of which upper harmonics are).

 

[DBfan187 5,000+ posts]

you know what I meant.

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

Also, it is "flattening" not "flatting".

I realize this.

It's called a typo.

 

[GrnEydDvl 10+ year member]

But you don't say "Man, that waveform sounds like it's flat, you must be clipping" //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif
Your ear doesn't detect that the waveform is flat, it detects the added distortion (of which upper harmonics are).

Ok, this is getting good. If you are saying distortion is heard as higher harmonics of the note that is being played and clipped, I'll buy that. I don't know enough to dispute it and we will assume you know what you are talking about.

But can't you play a square wave (not a sine wave clipped into being a square) at the same freq as a sine wave and they will sound different? This should very closely approximate a clipped sine wave minus the distortion. Same volume and pitch but different timbre.

If you have a synthesizer handy you can perform this experiment yourself.