2. amps-preamps
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Is this clipping or just high SPL?

Hey everyone,

A question arose today during a listening session. I have a Yamaha M40 120wpc amp driving GMA C1's with a passive pre-amp. I usually run both my pre-amp and amp at about 12... but on rare occasions I will turn my pre-amp up all the way and boost my amp to about 2 or 3 o'clock. I do this on recordings that seem to be mastered lower than usual...

Anyways, today I was listening at the higher play levels and a particularly abrupt loud passage came... specifically, it was 'Dark Side of the Moon' when the bells come in on the beginning of the third track (that everyone has heard at least 40 times).

I didn't hear any clipping, and never have on this system... but things just sounded more congested with less separation and clarity than I'm used to. Given, it only lasted about 10 seconds during that one sequence... but it sparked the question of whether it was likely that the amp was clipping or that it was just loud beyond my comfortable listening level. I am in a small room about 8 feet from the speakers, btw...

Thanks.
djembeplay

Showing 5 responses by djembeplay

djembeplay OP
179 posts
 
Hmm... tough to tell. The thing is the amp sounds great at that volume on any other recording I throw at it...

Maybe this is a redundant question, but what exactly is room overload? Is it when the reflected sound is so strong that everything just turns into loud mush?
djembeplay OP
179 posts
 
Yup - "Time"...

But the rated power handling of Green Mountain Audio Continuum 1s is around 200-250 watts I think... so I shouldn't even be close to distorting my tweeter or midrange with a Yamaha M-40 (120wpc) at 3/4 volume.. right? Any distortion would be coming from the amp or the room, wouldn't it?

Would this cause damage to my GMAs?
djembeplay OP
179 posts
 
Gotcha - thanks guys.

I just listened again at a slightly lower volume and worked my way back up... because this was driving me nuts.

It sounds fine, actually... I think I'm just not used to playing at higher SPL's than what I'm used to... in fact I'm really impressed with these old Yamaha amps. I think what I was hearing was a combination of room reflection and having sensitive ears... (which seems to vary from day to day for me... some days loud sounds are less tolerable than others... anyone else experience this?).

Incidentally, I would like to measure the DB to get a sense of proportion.

Out of curiosity, if a speaker does have some audible distortion / congestion in a loud passage, but not to the point of obvious clipping... is this going to damage a speaker or just be annoying? Will high end speakers on high end amps all pretty much start to congest at these 100-105 DB ranges?

I doubt I'm up that high in this small room... I hope.
djembeplay OP
179 posts
 
Thanks for the info Shadorne.

I guess I would need to test my DB to get a sense of where I'm at. There are DB charts with examples scattered about, but I'm not sure how the loudness of these compares to that of a lawnmower from 3 feet away or that of a jet engine at take-off.

The higher levels that I have been referring to are powerful with impact yet still comfortable and clear from only 8 feet away on DSOTM (as long as we are referring to this album I might as well stick with it). I consider myself to have fairly sensitive hearing... sooo chances are I'm not into the 90DB death range... right?
djembeplay OP
179 posts
 
Ya... its all too relative to put definites on.

I do think that I have been listening to my speakers very politely though... the other day I gave them a bit more power than usual and things weren't really loud or harsh, but just had more impact and definition.

I'm not sure if I was at the 'live' level... it certainly is a nice sound as long as I keep it below the room overload level. I hope it's not detrimental to my hearing... I thought that only happened if you listened at painful levels for hours straight.
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