Loud Snap at High Volume

@msstl  Interesting analysis.  Thanks for doing it.  Explains a lot.  Because this movement starts so softly, my tendency was to begin listening at around 80db, which meant--because of the extreme dynamic range--by the time I hit the peaked highs I was pushing 100db, when I would hear the snap.  And, again, this snap comes at the peak of the highs not during any of the drum rolls or beats.

@ozzy62 As I mentioned, it seems that I can play my system at a sustained 95db.  It is just when there is a peak beyond that coming from a sustained and building wall of sound that I get the snap.  Still, you would think the Z2's could handle this.  I posted my experience thinking that other folks with ribbon tweeters had encountered similar issues.  

No guarantees. I'd bet a fortune you are bottoming out the mid/woofer drivers.

I own Michael's Raidho D2 loudspeakers and what you describe is exactly what I might hear if I had the music program amplified to high for them. Everything sounds great and then "POP" or multiples. It's bass and a small cones can only go so loud.

I have a class D amp with 1kw into 4ohms and a 2000 damping factor so I do not blame the amp. I know I need to high pass but they go to 30 in room on their own. I just try to watch the volume levels (mid 80s for me).

I imagine those X2s are fabulous in most every other way. Classical music is pretty tough when it comes to intense transients. Consider high passing the Z2s a bit to relieve the ultimate low end and adding sub(s). Good luck!

Those ribbon tweeters Michael designed are the best I've owned. I had a pair of small Scansonic MB2.5s (by Michael) and even that slightly 'heavier' sealed ribbon tweeter bested the Dynaudio Esotar 2 I listened to on a pair of Sapphires I owned for five years. I've never heard 'distressful' noises from them, just silky treble...

@musicaddict Thanks for your input.  Yes, the X2's are fabulous in every way except for this limitation, which, as I've said, might be saving my hearing.  I have thought of high passing the Z2s which sounds like it would solve this problem and maybe even get me better bass.  The Z2's go down to 40hz on paper and don't seem to benefit when I add a subwoofer off the speaker terminals.

That loud snap is the sound of you clipping your amplifier..speakers don't appreciate it. 

It seems doubtful to me that your D'Agostino integrated is clipping. Not sure on damping but 0.1 ohm output impedance doesn't work to a high damping factor...?

I reread and based on no distortion until the pop (and that may not be the best way to describe it, I know what you're referring to) occurs, it seems like all is under control and sounding fine until the reality of physics get in the way.

The bottoming out tells us the excursion limits of the driver. After that it's math as regards the combo you can get, low deep bass, and or loud volume. Even if it doesn't seem like low bass when its pops, if its pops at 95 plus, like mine might, then it's a volume thing perhaps more so than low low bass. it all adds up in speed of the cone and the excursion limits (so far as I know).