Need quick lesson on clipping, have a question

[Crodski 10+ year member]

Ok so i have the aq 1200. I have it hooked up to 1 memphis pr seeing about 350 watts @ 4 ohms. AQ says the amp puts out 510 watts rms @ 4 ohms. I set the gains up using the dmm with bass knob set all the way to max. SO as i listen to my tunes and turn the bass up, about 3/4 the way up, the clipping light starts to dance to the beat. all the way up it becomes more intense. I don't understand why though...can u help me out as to why this happens or what causes this?

O yea, volume is never turned up past where i set it up initially.

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[Trey803 5,000+ posts]

turn the bass boost to 0....re-set gains

 

[Trey803 5,000+ posts]

and also did you re-check your calculations from your equation. Another phenomenon that may be occurring is that even if you set your gain to a marked voltage(the scale of the gain .2v-5v for example) those markings may not be true indicators what voltage your gain is being set to.

 

[Crodski 10+ year member]

There is no bass boost on the amp, nor do i have the bass on the headunit up. I should try and reset the gains though?

 

[Trey803 5,000+ posts]

what do you mean "when i turn the bass up"

 

[Trey803 5,000+ posts]

if you have a clipping indicator light.....why not just set the gains visually by using the light

 

[Crodski 10+ year member]

i mean the bass knob...o is that the bass boost?

aight well does this sound right

Sqr rt(350*4)= 37.4 volts

power*resistance right?

 

[aeon 10+ year member]

bass knob is bass boost.

 

[Trey803 5,000+ posts]

bass boost isn't helping you accomplish anything......besides a very awkward frequency response curve, however to some people this is what they like. The problem is that with the bass boost turned on and up clipping with occur prematurely(so you may have a strong 40-60 hz but lacking in the the lower frequencies)

 

[tcguy85 10+ year member]

it's also true that the clip lights will light fairly early. they will light when a large peak occurs.

i asked this question on DIYMA.com about the clip lights on my DD S4. this was the best answer i got.

"They may be seeing an average of 10W but a peak of 300W is entirely possible!

The amp has a comparitor, when the output voltage meets the rail voltage, even for a split second, it lights the lamp, the lamp circuit has a feature that keeps it on for a bit so you can see it. Because if one cycle of the waveform lights the light for that 1/200th of a second.. you will never see it

So yes, on peaks, the speaker is seeing the full rail voltage, and can easily handle it."

 

[Crodski 10+ year member]

Alright, should i unplug the knob, set the gains, then plug it back in? because when i tried setting the gains with the knob on zero, it read 0 on the dmm no matter where the gain level was being set, when i turned the knob though, then it started to show

@ tcguy. So it is fine though? as long as it is not just solid red right

 

[Trey803 5,000+ posts]

then that is not a bass boost.....your bass knob is a remote gain knob. This explains why when you had it turned to 0 your dmm did not read anything higher than 0

 

[tcguy85 10+ year member]

Alright, should i unplug the knob, set the gains, then plug it back in? because when i tried setting the gains with the knob on zero, it read 0 on the dmm no matter where the gain level was being set, when i turned the knob though, then it started to show
@ tcguy. So it is fine though? as long as it is not just solid red right

mild clipping is ok and will take a lot of power to avoid. when you get into hard clipping or constant clipping, then you have problems.

this entire thread would be a good read for you, and possibly a lot of others.

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31522&highlight=clip+light

pay a lot of attention to Chad's comments. that guy knows his shit!

 

[Crodski 10+ year member]

kk, so it just depends on the frequencies im assuming? like I can play Hypnotize- Young jeezy with the remote gain knob maxed out and have no problems with the light lighting, but on a song like Money Man-Gorilla Zoe or No Help-Trae, the light will start to turn on around 3/4 or less....should i maybe reset my gains? what would be of choice? 50 hz sine wave @ -3db (What i set it with) or would something else be better?

 

[Trey803 5,000+ posts]

yes some songs have more bass than others. again I would set your gains by watching the light. If it comes on lower the gains