Testing for clipping with oscilliscope

I have a handheld that I bought and put together (was a kit offline forgot the site name) anyways where do I test the signal from... I am guessing I need to reference the rca outputs but what if I want to know if the amp is clipping I am sure that it can't handle the power that would come out of the speaker ports. I will try to find the place I bought it from because i am sure it helps if you know what it can do.

yes some more info would be very helpful here.

THere should also be some specifications on the back of the OScope.

More info the better we can help you..

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2006 WRX STI
Electrical Engineer
Ohio University Alumni

The scope should handle the voltage from the speaker outputs.  And yes that is where you need to check it.

On the RCA outputs you connect the ground to the outer ring and the probe on the centre post, on the amp output just connect the neg of the probe to the neg speaker wire and the probe on the positive speaker wire.  Be sure to set your volts per division properly so you can see the full wave form, if you want to see the average wave form frozen put your trigger in the waveforms magnitude area, if you want to see the wave forms as they appear "live" move the trigger out of the wave form.   All that will be in your manual, hopefully...

NEVER hook up both probe wires to the electrically same wire, or ZAP.

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2003 Chevy Avalanche,Eclipse CD7000,Morel Elate 5,Adire Extremis,Alpine PDX-4.150, 15" TC-3000, 2 Alpine PDX-1.1000, 470Amp HO Alt.

Alpine Guy wrote:

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NEVER hook up both probe wires to the electrically same wire, or ZAP.

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That part I don't understand... What are you saying, here?

Also, you 'scope will do fine. Rated 100v p-p, you could (in theory) measure the output of a 2500 watt amplifer. It's perfectly safe to measure pretty much any amplifier output with that particular 'scope.

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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."

You should check the input in to the amp to make sure your source unit isn't clipping, and then you should check the output of the amp to make sure your output isn't clipping.

I believe the 'standard' procedure is to place a known frequency track and turn your source unit up until you see clipping on the RCAs in to the amp.  Back the volume down a bit.

Then, with the source unit at the volume you found in the first step, still playing the same frequency slowly raise the gain on the amp until you see distortion, then back it down slightly.

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Kevin Pierson

haemphyst wrote:

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Alpine Guy wrote:

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NEVER hook up both probe wires to the electrically same wire, or ZAP.

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That part I don't understand... What are you saying, here?

Also, you 'scope will do fine. Rated 100v p-p, you could (in theory) measure the output of a 2500 watt amplifer. It's perfectly safe to measure pretty much any amplifier output with that particular 'scope.

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I had a brain fart, i was thinking what happens if you hook up 2 probes in 1 oscilloscope and ground to different wires, , disregard that comment.....too much homework tonight already lol.

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2003 Chevy Avalanche,Eclipse CD7000,Morel Elate 5,Adire Extremis,Alpine PDX-4.150, 15" TC-3000, 2 Alpine PDX-1.1000, 470Amp HO Alt.

awsome thanks for the input guys I figured I was at a lost on this purchase but I guess it will work out in the end... thanks for your time.