Is Clipping an amp always Audioable?


Hey guys, 2 Simple Questions regarding CLIPPING (when underpowered amp is used):

1. Is Clipping ALWAYS Audioable? IE, Distortion, Harshness, Whatever

2. If there is clipping that is NOT Audioable is it damaging to tweeters/Drivers?

Thanks to everyone, for everything.
agent193

Showing 3 responses by bomarc

Too much power, clean or not, is *very* likely to damage a speaker. Distortion might mean extra energy pushed to the tweeters, but it's the energy, not the distortion, that does the damage.
I presume by "audioable" you mean "audible."

1. Yes, clipping sounds like s**t.

2. It is possible for an amp to damage your speakers without actually clipping. It is also possible for an amp to clip without damaging your speakers. The point at which an amp clips and the point at which a speaker cannot handle input power are two different things.
I should amend my answer: Clipping sounds like s**t if there's enough of it to hear. But, as Gs rightly points out, the occasional clipped peak isn't a problem at all. One study I know of found that clipping becomes audible if it occurs more than 1 percent of the time.

I'll stick to the second part of my answer, though: Clipping doesn't damage speakers; juice damages speakers.