Can distortion from HU cause failure?

[notw 10+ year member]

I just finished reading half of the "For the last time, PLEASE: clipping does NOT blow speakers/subwoofers" and I still need to know if a distorted signal from my HU to my properly configured amplifier will cause failure in my woofer.

I am going to be running an AQ HDC315 on a 1000wrms amp by a pioneer HU that I might be over powering by turning the volume to 60 of 62. I know that i need a mids/trebs amp but for now i dont have that and setting the volume at 50 is not an option because neither the mids/trebs or bass is loud enough.

Here:

So if clipping is harmless to the speaker, I don't understand why some amp (both home and car) have clipping LED's?
The only purpose I can think of is for tuning purposes. Turn up the gain until the LED just flickers.

Not exactly. The purpose of the clipping lights on amplifiers has nothing to do with the speakers, rather it's to protect the amplifier from overdriving itself. When the signal is clipped, that means that the amplifier is being pushed beyond its normal output capabilities. This naturally causes unnecessary strain and a lot of heat as a byproduct. When the amp overheats / overdrives one of two things happens: 1. The amp's internal fuse / circuit breaker puts the amplifier into protect mode which makes you reset the amplifier.

2. You cook the amp

Naturally, choice one is preferable than having electrical burn smell in your car for a week.

My amps clipping led does not come on when I send a distorted signal to my amp by getting close to the maximum output from my HU. Does this mean the my amp is not being overpowered leading to woofer failure? Or does this mean that the way my amp detects clipping does not pick up on being overpowered by my HU but only by the amp itself?

I also saw in that GIANT thread where the coil stays in the xmax position longer when the signal is clipped causing excessive heat build up. I also saw shortly after that where a guy said something or another against that so I dunno...

I would really like to clear this one up as I don't want to damage any of my equipment...

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[SSS 18734 5,000+ posts]

If the head unit sends a clipped signal, then your amplifier will amplify a clipped signal.

With that beefy driver and only 1000 watts, problems are unlikely, but it could still cause failure if you're playing below your box's tuning. Pioneer head units' volume knobs go up to 62. I never turn mine past 55. Set the gains to volume 55 and you don't have to worry about it.

 

[01 S 10 10+ year member]

Set your gains properly, and dont go above 53-55 on the Pioneers. the music WILL be distorted and you will HEAR it.

 

[notw 10+ year member]

If the head unit sends a clipped signal, then your amplifier will amplify a clipped signal.
With that beefy driver and only 1000 watts, problems are unlikely, but it could still cause failure if you're playing below your box's tuning. Pioneer head units' volume knobs go up to 62. I never turn mine past 55. Set the gains to volume 55 and you don't have to worry about it.

I can do 55. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/thankyou.gif.5451126d09e870f796f50c3a4dd5acd7.gif

 

[SSS 18734 5,000+ posts]

Also, remember to just use common sense. If you hear your equipment starting to sound jumbled, staticy, or distorted, you're pushing it past its limits. Turn the volume down! In addition, don't use bass boost, loudness settings (unless you're listening at quiet volumes), and don't go crazy on the EQ settings. Leave them relatively flat.

Use common sense and your equipment will have a long lifetime //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[notw 10+ year member]

Also, remember to just use common sense. If you hear your equipment starting to sound jumbled, staticy, or distorted, you're pushing it past its limits. Turn the volume down! In addition, don't use bass boost, loudness settings (unless you're listening at quiet volumes), and don't go crazy on the EQ settings. Leave them relatively flat.
Use common sense and your equipment will have a long lifetime //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

thanks.