Clipping or not?

[hoss 5,000+ posts]

While a somewhat valid point, I believe this varies by amp/preamp signal alot. My old Visonik amp used to do exactly what you just described, which, yes, is a good indication that it is starting to clip. This amp however, as described, I can only set it to ~55-60 volts before I can clearly hear clipping, but I can keep turning the gain and get it all the way up to 80-90 volts (clipping the living **** out of the sub). Eitherway...my statement was nowhere near a 'retard of the month' comment...

if you took the time to research what goes on during clipping, you would understand why it was doing that.

power compression is one of the early indicators of clipping, which if you could audibly hear it at 55-60 volts, you probably whizzed straight past this early phase and pushed the amp too far. and once you start clipping an amp, they are capable of putting out way more power than they are rated at, which would explain why you were seeing upwards of 80V.

 

[Rashaddd 5,000+ posts]

if you took the time to research what goes on during clipping, you would understand why it was doing that.
power compression is one of the early indicators of clipping, which if you could audibly hear it at 55-60 volts, you probably whizzed straight past this early phase and pushed the amp too far. and once you start clipping an amp, they are capable of putting out way more power than they are rated at, which would explain why you were seeing upwards of 80V.

Makes sense enough, so brings me back to my original question of just how bad this is for the sub? Basically I can give it like

 

[hoss 5,000+ posts]

fwiw, i have no worries sending a somewhat clipped signal to my subs.