For the last time, PLEASE: clipping does NOT blow speakers/subwoofers

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

Clipping does not kill speakers technically speaking, heat does. Clipping will cause excessive heat however, which can/will lead to premature thermal failure.
Saying clipping doesn't kill speakers is like saying jumping off a skyscraper doesn't kill people, the sudden stop does. Technically true, but leads down an incorrect logic path. This thread will lead many people down that wrong logic path.

I'm honestly just trying to help anyway, as I noticed you doing the same by your signature. Underpowering doesn't kill speakers, but if you over drive that amplifier and make it produce more power than the speaker is rated for, sure it can kill it. Same argument here. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

ok this is pretty much against what i thought i knew. then again...thats what you get for learning everything you know about caraudio from a website.
but here is my question. if clipping doesnt kill subwoofers, how come i can make a 2000w rms rated speaker thermally overheat (smelling like shit, you know what i mean) and when i clamp my amp, its only doing 1500w rms (and thats apparent power, not even factoring in power factor which should lower it).

thats my question

Because said amplifier is no longer producing 1500 watts, it's likely producing much more than that. This is the reason why you have protection mode and clipping lights on amplifiers. As soon as the amplifier detects that you are over driving the amp, it either shuts down to protect the amplifier and the speaker because you're sending it more than rated power. There's no doubt in my mind that a solid 1500wrms amplifier is producing more than that anyway, plus when clipping fully is sending MUCH more than that. However, the same thing would happen if you send it 3000 watts from an unclipped amp. To a speaker, power is power, and whether that's via a clipped signal's 3000 watts or a unclipped signal's 3000 watts, it'll still reach thermal failure.

 

[BEAVER.989 10+ year member]

but here is my question. if clipping doesnt kill subwoofers, how come i can make a 2000w rms rated speaker thermally overheat (smelling like shit, you know what i mean) and when i clamp my amp, its only doing 1500w rms (and thats apparent power, not even factoring in power factor which should lower it).

someone answer my question...ya jerks

Because you are sending said sub a clipped signal. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[Ed Lester 10+ year member]

clipping signals can blow amps

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

clipping signals can blow amps

This is very true, and I've done it many a time. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

Ed Lester, you're an EE?

 

[sonic purity 10+ year member]

clipping doest kill speakers like over revving doesnt kill an engine.

 

[Ed Lester 10+ year member]

Ed Lester, you're an EE?

Yup, except I've been done school for many years

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

clipping doest kill speaker like over revving doesnt kill an engine.

Clipping is far more dangerous to the amplifier than it is the speaker by a HUGE margin. By a huge margin, I mean that you'll almost certainly pop a fuse or make the amp go into protect mode before you overpower the speaker.

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

Yup, except I've been done school for many years

Sweet, be sure to be on the lookout for PMs from me when I get confused as shit //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

 

[sonic purity 10+ year member]

Clipping is far more dangerous to the amplifier than it is the speaker by a HUGE margin. By a huge margin, I mean that you'll almost certainly pop a fuse or make the amp go into protect mode before you overpower the speaker.

Its not that you are overpowering the speaker, it that you are overheating the speaker. ie voicecoil

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

Its not that you are overpowering the speaker, it that you are overheating the speaker. ie voicecoil

Overpower comprises overheat and overexcursion //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

 

[sonic purity 10+ year member]

I would like to see some proof that clipped amplifier signal will not blow a sub.

 

[sonic purity 10+ year member]

but we are talking about underpower a speaker at the moment, pay attention

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

I would like to see some proof that clipped amplifier signal will not blow a sub.

If I could get a camcorder, I'd show you my test rig in my room which is a 70w PE plate amp which I use to test speakers I get. I've clipped that ****er to the point of being too hot to touch, but my RE SE and Dayton Titanic just sit there and laugh at it and don't even get warm.