clipping question

[curtis96olds 10+ year member]

i have an AQ1200D and it has the remote gain knob and i was wondering, if i have my head unit up to high and the signal is clipping at the head unit would that trigger the clipping light on the gain knob? or does the clipping light only detect clipping via the gain being set too high?

or in other words, if i turn my gain all the way down, and then put my HU volume to like 55 out of 60, would that trigger the clipping light on the gain knob?

i never turn my volume up that high, usually around 45-48 depending on the song, that was just an example

basically i want to just find out if im clipping my head unit signal before it even gets to the amp, cause if thats the case i will reset my gains according to a lower volume on the HU

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[Wingman0121 10+ year member]

I don't think so, some of the better pro audio amps have separate clipping light for its low-level inputs and speaker level outputs.

 

[curtis96olds 10+ year member]

I don't think so, some of the better pro audio amps have separate clipping light for its low-level inputs and speaker level outputs.

hmm, is there any way of telling if im sending my amp a clipped signal from my HU then?

thats really all im trying to accomplish with this question

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

hmm, is there any way of telling if im sending my amp a clipped signal from my HU then?
thats really all im trying to accomplish with this question

If your clipping the signal coming from your HU, it's going to clip your normal speakers too which will sound like ass.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

If your clipping the signal coming from your HU, it's going to clip your normal speakers too which will sound like ass.

Not necessarily true. To many variables to say that unequivocally. The "clipping" indicator on the remote knob is probably only a peak level indicator. It comes on when the output voltage reaches a certain level.

 

[iLL Ridge 10+ year member]

This is a good question.

 

[Vossy 10+ year member]

I'll join the club. Good question, email AQ

 

[Haunz 10+ year member]

The clipping indicator on an amplifier uses a comparative circuit. When the amp's output voltage is equal to the amp's rail voltage for a sufficient amount of time the indicator lights up. This of course has nothing to do with the input signal.

The easiest way for the OP to find what he is looking for is to play a test tone recorded at 0db and identify the volume level which causes the RCA outputs to reach their maximum level, preferably using a true RMS meter...

More advanced users may use a program like speaker workshop to analyze distortion figures using a variety of test materials...

 

[1rockford1 5,000+ posts]

to fly

 

[akheathen Premium Member]

damnit, lost the whole post i just wrote, lol........

anyways, good q. if you are sending a clipped signal to the amp, it will play that signal, but not actually clip, untill >rms. in therory, it might see an rms clipped wave as actual clipping..... either way, it really doesn't make for a good play-back. turn the bass down on the deck if you are going to turn it up high enough to distort/clip, and it will play harder and cleaner. you can adjust the gain on the amp if it doesn't turn up high enough when you do this....