can someone explain clipping to me?

[bonesninja 5,000+ posts]

what exactly does the term clipping mean when used in reference to amps?

Click to read more...

 

[BryanGsu 10+ year member]

Quick question: Do not know what kind of specifics i would have to provide, but i guess I will ask. 4v output from HU, would that be high enough to avoid clipping? Please elaborate a little on clipping if you do not mind.

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

Quick question: Do not know what kind of specifics i would have to provide, but i guess I will ask. 4v output from HU, would that be high enough to avoid clipping?

Clipping isn't related to the output voltage from your headunit (well, it is, but indirectly).....is has to do with what the amps does with that input signal; which is why the amps have an input gain (sensitivity) control. If you don't set the gain properly, then the amp will be amplifying too strong of a signal, which will cause the amp to clip the signal. Likewise, if you turn up the bass boost (or boost any frequency too much), then the amp will overamplify that frequency and will clip the signal. So, there isn't a "proper" output voltage to avoid clipping....it has to do with the settings.

Please elaborate a little on clipping if you do not mind.

Read

THIS....about half way down it starts getting into clipping. See if that answers your questions.

 

[BryanGsu 10+ year member]

Thanks for answers. Great link by the way.

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

The gain CAN be used a volume control, but that's not its primary function ...

Only to turn it down, not to turn it up

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

in lames terms man, when a sine wave is clipped off to form a square wave form, that signal CAN increase the power significantly that the amp produces to your sub... if your subs arent capable of handeling this increase in power, they let loose their magic smoke and stop working via melted VC, maybe a busted cone, hell it could destroy the amp because of overheating or many other reasons //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/uhoh.gif.c07307dd22ee7e63e22fc8e9c614d1fd.gif.

so if the amp is clipping like mad, but you are only giving a Brahma 15 sub like 100w, it may tripple the power [for explaining sake] and distort to hell... but the sub will happily play that garbage because its well within the thermal\mechanical ratings.

so clipping INDERICTALLY harms subs. clipping = distortion and distortion will not hurt a sub.

clipping also (in most cases) = increase in power (distorted of course) and this is why subs are destroyed by clipping.

just for lamens sake -- or this is how i gathered all the arguments\conversations ive read about clipping.

is my info correct squeak?

 

[BASS OUTLAW 10+ year member]

Well, it can be used to turn it up if it's still below clipping //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif
Anyways, I think we can all agree that it SHOULDN'T be used as a volume control unless you know what you're doing //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

three lil questions,

will clippin happen if ur gains are at MAX, but the vol at the HU is fairly low,??

and how do u know the amp is clipping?? easy method plz, other than using an OS, or hearing it. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

and i cant understand this, on my amp , around the gain knob, its written 0.4V at a side and 6v at the other , so i thought 6V was the high gain , but turned out to be 0.4V was the max gain! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wacky.gif.cf4a48f9e6dfe9504ffd2c946fd2f340.gif

sorry 4 edditin , 1 more question

let say if the sub handles 300w rms, and the amp is ratted 300w rms,

and then u setted the gain to the max,