bellsracer wrote:
| Clipping is taking the electrical signal and pusing it beyond the abilities of the component. A speaker works by alternating the positive and negative back and forth to move the speaker and make sound. (Alternating current or AC) Using an oscilloscope you will see that the signal is a smooth curve (wave) that moves up and down. Clipping is taking the signal and putting a flat spot in the curve. ie DC current. When DC occurs during the AC power wave it is "clipping" the peaks and valleys off the wave. |
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There is no "putting" a flat spot on the waveform. An amplifier is built with a given, set voltage, both positive and negative, called "rails". When the input signal tells the amplifier to "turn on" more than the rails are capable of producing, the waveform is "clipped off". That is what clipping is.
bellsracer wrote:
| How this affects speakers is that the speaker will get to the power waves clipping point. (Say on the peak) Then the DC kicks in and "kicks" the speaker sideways. Then when AC continues on the wave, the speaker's voice coil is still kicked sideways and grinds down the pole and magnet structure's wall. Then at the other end of the wave (the valley), the clip kicks in again and kicks the speaker the other way. AC continues and grinds the voice coil up the other side. Now do this at 50Hz and now your speaker is grinding the voice coil 100 times per second. Bye Bye speaker. |
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There is one I have NEVER heard before. Where did you get that description from? I
did tell you I'd call you on anything...
bellsracer wrote:
| Now many shops will do their gain setting by ear by listening to when the speaker starts grinding at the wall. The truth of the matter is that, if you are already hearing the grinding, then there is at least 15-20% distortion and possibly damaging the speaker. A little saying that many of the uber-veterans (those who have been doing this since the 60s - 70s) will tell you that if you can "hear" the beginning of the clip, you can hear grass grow. They once proved it too by asking a bunch of shops to gain set the amps. When the oscilloscope was taken to the amps afterwards, 98% of them at at least 15% distortion and clip on the signal.
Best way to maximize your power and keep the clip from entering is to use the oscilloscope. It'll show you exactly how much clipping you have. Just add or lose gain until you are right at the edge of making a clip. Maximum power without the clip. |
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You are correct... The BEST way to set gains is with an oscilloscope, but not everybody has a 'scope sitting around in their garage! I do, and I use it, but clipping is quite the audible distortion... An o-scope is not always necessary. I can PROMISE you, that if I were set in a car I would be able to hear the onset of clipping, pretty much immediately. I can hear clipping in a recording, even if the amplifier is NOT clipped.
sprawl85 wrote:
| Just buy quality amplifiers that dont' clip. I have seen a lot of amps that I couldn't get to clip if I tried. Or keep some ED subs around because if you send a clipped signal to them it sounds like someone is beating a piece of sheet metal because of high tight the gap is on them.
edit: I forgot the original question by the time I posted this, but I figured I'd add my 2 cents anyway since you already got a technical definition. |
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There is NO SUCH THING as an amplifier that can't be clipped. ANY amplifier, if pushed beyond it's capabilities can be driven past the rails, resulting in clipping!
bryantobando wrote:
| You are prolly clipping because you have the volume or the gains of the amp all the way up. You should turn up the volume and gains maximum 3/4's up. |
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MORE wrong information. The "gain control on an amp is NEVER "just set". It should always be adjusted carefully, first by ear, then with instumentation, if available.
bryantobando wrote:
| Clipping is like jumping on a bed with a low ceiling. If your bed is really spring (in this case, the amplifier is really powerfull and the speakers can't take it), when you jump, you'll hit your head on the ceiling. Though, if the ceiling was higher, you would have more head room and you wouldn;t hit your head. (in this case, your speakers can handle the power the amp is outputting). That is why you get those flat peaks on the waves on an oscilliscope. Its a wierd explanation, but that is how they tought me and it made more sense. But it has nothing to do with DC signal. |
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Another pile of "clipping crap". Clipping is an INTERNAL ELECTRICAL condition, it has NOTHING whatsoever to do with anything mechanical or external. The jumping on the bed analogy is completely wrong.
It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."
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