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What causes speaekrs to clip?

Jcricket

Jcricket

not someday, but today
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I have always believed that when speakers clip, it is generally due to overdriving an amp. Pushing it beyond its means. Is this correct? Are there other things that will cause a speaker to clip?

I am sure overdriving a speaekr can caue this, But what else?

I am asking, because I just recapped the crossovers on my speakers. These area wharfedales rated at 100wpc RMS. I am pushing them with a pioneer sx-1250. I have not had either of these components long enought to be sure which is causing the problem. Could trying to extend the bass below what the system is designed for cause this?? Excessive bass response?

I was using this system last night on Pink floyd' "The Wall" and got this clipping. I was no where near 100w. MAybe 20 watts.

Any thoughts or suggestions?
Mark
 
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Speakers don't clip :no:, amps clip.:yes:

When an amp is asked to do something it can't, it reproduces the signal it's asked for but with distortion. That is clipping.
 
Ditto what Marantzfan said. Maybe it's just one side of the amp or a bad speaker. Can you tell if the left and right sound the same? Sounds like the 1250 might need to be checked. If it's running right, you should get 165WPC before clipping. Bias and DC offset OK?:scratch2: Maybe you're hearing distortion from another problem, not necessarily clipping.
 
I know how to check dc offset, but what about bias?
I think it is primarily from the right side. I'll take a check on the dc offset and post results in a bit.
Mark
 
You can overheat the voice coil and cause it to distort out of round and rub into the pole piece! You can also exceed the excursion limits of the spider/ surround and throw the voice coil out of the gap or slam it into the back plate. You will know when you do that via the audible sound it will emit! Finally there is the old smell of burnt enamel from off of the voice coil wire- worst to worst you can literally flame the spider and cone as well from the voice coil wire being tunred into an active toaster element!
DC
 
dc270 said:
You can overheat the voice coil and cause it to distort out of round and rub into the pole piece! You can also exceed the excursion limits of the spider/ surround and throw the voice coil out of the gap or slam it into the back plate. You will know when you do that via the audible sound it will emit! Finally there is the old smell of burnt enamel from off of the voice coil wire- worst to worst you can literally flame the spider and cone as well from the voice coil wire being tunred into an active toaster element!
DC
Click to expand...

Point taken, I'll turn it down from now on...:D
 
DC270 sorry for he dumb question, but what are excursion limits?
You may be on to something with this. It does make a tight pop whaen it clipps.
Any way to remedy this?
Mark
 
Speakers move in and out. The point at which they are not designed to move past either in or out is the excursion limit.
 
That is waht is happening. What causes this? I knowin this particular instatnce it is inot because of the rms - at least it shouldn't be. Could it be that I have a woofer rated at 50hz, and I am really attenuating the lower frequencies to try and get down to 25hz?
MArk
 
Jcricket said:
DC270 sorry for he dumb question, but what are excursion limits?
You may be on to something with this. It does make a tight pop whaen it clipps.
Any way to remedy this?
Mark
Click to expand...

If it's the "pop" made by a woofer when it bottoms out, then there are only a couple options I can think of (without getting different speakers or possibly modifying yours).

Keep the volume lower and or turn down (reduce) the bass.
 
Question: Are you using the loudness control at higher volumes or equalization to boost the bass frequencies?
 
I was using the both bass controls(50hz and 100 hz) for bass and the loudness too. Probably best thing to do is get a good sub and thus reduce the demand on the speakers.
MArk
 
Jcricket said:
I have always believed that when speakers clip, it is generally due to overdriving an amp. Pushing it beyond its means. Is this correct? Are there other things that will cause a speaker to clip?

I am sure overdriving a speaekr can caue this, But what else?

I am asking, because I just recapped the crossovers on my speakers. These area wharfedales rated at 100wpc RMS. I am pushing them with a pioneer sx-1250. I have not had either of these components long enought to be sure which is causing the problem. Could trying to extend the bass below what the system is designed for cause this?? Excessive bass response?

I was using this system last night on Pink floyd' "The Wall" and got this clipping. I was no where near 100w. MAybe 20 watts.

Any thoughts or suggestions?
Mark
Click to expand...




marantz is right. speakers don't clip....amplifiers do.

that horrible sound you hear through your speakers is the sound of your amp clipping. and clipping is usually caused by overdriving an amp or receiver with insufficient power and/or insufficient headroom. and yes, definitely, playing the receiver too loud either with the bass control cranked all the way up, or the "loudness" compensation switched on, will yield horrible results. your bass and treble controls should always be at the "defeat" or "12 o'clock" position, and your loudness compensation should always be switched off. i have a couple of receivers with that "feature" and i NEVER NEVER EVER use it because it is not necessary.
 
Yes, severe speaker distortion is not from the speaker itself, but rather the amplifier. The speakers are trying to consume more that the amplifier can put out, and "ta-dah" distortion is the result.

On the other hand, you can get speakers to "pop". This occurs when the amplifier is sending more current than what the speakers can handle. Dial back on the bass, shut off all loudness controls, and if it continues, back off on the volume knob until it ceases.

Personally, I have never owned a pre-amp, integrated amp, or a reciever with a loudness button. I think that it is one of the most retarded things that can be put on an amp. I like to use a graphic eq to tailor bass, as it tends to be more uniform in its design.



Jason
 
jhaan92 said:
Personally, I have never owned a pre-amp, integrated amp, or a reciever with a loudness button. I think that it is one of the most retarded things that can be put on an amp. I like to use a graphic eq to tailor bass, as it tends to be more uniform in its design.

Jason
Click to expand...


Sort of the pot calling the kettle black, isn't it?
 
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