Amp Clipping

[JoshM20 0]

Hey Guys,

Just wondering, how do you know if you are clipping your amp? I thought it was if your voltage drops to low. If it does have something to do about voltage, where can you get the electronic volt meters I've seen in ppl's car?

[RobClay 20]

lol nah. voltage drop is just the amp drainin ya. but if your clipping youll usually hear a noise from your sub, it kind of sounds like its bottoming out. correct me if im wrong

[RobClay 20]

btw what sub/amps do you have?

Edited October 22, 2008 by RobClay

[P-Dizzle 1]

What amp, subs and head unit are you running? Any eq's or LOC's?

[JoshM20 0]

Jensen VM9512

2 15" Fi BL's

1 sundown 1200D getting another one soon and a 100.4

[fritosaregood 0]

clipping is when the sin wave signal your amp should be producing is turned into a square wave,

so basically your are tryin to get more power out of your amp that it can produce, if its happening its because your gain is turned up to high

[RobClay 20]

yep^ i think you need to be easy on the bass gain until you get the other 1200 because that one really isnt enough for 2 fi bl's

[P-Dizzle 1]

Remember. You want to be able to use at least 75% of the volume on your head unit.

[P-Dizzle 1]

What problem are you having anyway?

[JoshM20 0]

My Amp isn't clipping, I just wanted to be positive what it was so I didn't let it happen, and if it did I would reconize it.

What do you mean only 75% of the HU volume?

[fritosaregood 0]

My Amp isn't clipping, I just wanted to be positive what it was so I didn't let it happen, and if it did I would reconize it.

What do you mean only 75% of the HU volume?

i just means. dont turn your gain and boost on the amp all the way up to where your hu can only be put on volume 10 out of 50 and it already maxes out the amp power output.

so to set it right turn the amp gain all the way down, then turn the hu up between 75% to 100% and turn up the gain up until it starts clippin then turn it down until it stops. or you can use a multimeter to get it exact.

Edited October 22, 2008 by fritosaregood

[JoshM20 0]

My Amp isn't clipping, I just wanted to be positive what it was so I didn't let it happen, and if it did I would reconize it.

What do you mean only 75% of the HU volume?

i just means. dont turn your gain and boost on the amp all the way up to where your hu can only be put on volume 10 out of 50 and it already maxes out the amp power output.

so to set it right turn the amp gain all the way down, then turn the hu up between 75% to 100% and turn up the gain up until it starts clippin then turn it down until it stops. or you can use a multimeter to get it exact.

A Multimeter? Is that like a Voltmeter? How do I tell when it is "exact" ?

[Duran 387]

My Amp isn't clipping, I just wanted to be positive what it was so I didn't let it happen, and if it did I would reconize it.

What do you mean only 75% of the HU volume?

i just means. dont turn your gain and boost on the amp all the way up to where your hu can only be put on volume 10 out of 50 and it already maxes out the amp power output.

so to set it right turn the amp gain all the way down, then turn the hu up between 75% to 100% and turn up the gain up until it starts clippin then turn it down until it stops. or you can use a multimeter to get it exact.

A Multimeter? Is that like a Voltmeter? How do I tell when it is "exact" ?

Uhhh, measure it? How else can you?

[MikeS 0]

I dunno if it matters where you set the input gain on the amp. I would think you could still clip the amp regardless if the gain pot is set low or high.

I think it just boils down to a simple act of volume control moderation.

If the woofers are going clickety-clack, the mid and top end sounds all grainy and compressed with a touch a broken glass thrown in, and the tweeters are going squick-squack........it may be time to turn it down......

I dunno........

[P-Dizzle 1]

Using a VOM or DMM, set the meter to AC. Download a test tone and burn it. Preferable multiple times. Set the volume on your head unit to 75%. Connect the meter to the speaker outputs on the amp. The target voltage of that amp is around 35 volts. Turn the gain all the way down on the amp and slowly turn it up until the voltage reaches 35 on the meter.

edit- Turn off all boosts, eq settings, loudness, etc...

Edited October 22, 2008 by P-Dizzle

[JoshM20 0]

Using a VOM or DMM, set the meter to AC. Download a test tone and burn it. Preferable multiple times. Set the volume on your head unit to 75%. Connect the meter to the speaker outputs on the amp. The target voltage of that amp is around 35 volts. Turn the gain all the way down on the amp and slowly turn it up until the voltage reaches 35 on the meter.

edit- Turn off all boosts, eq settings, loudness, etc...

Yea, I was wondering what voltage to look for.

When you say turn off the EQ, do you mean run it flat -- 0's across the board or negative.

Edited October 22, 2008 by JoshM20

[loudcav 1]

the apsolute best way to set your gain is with an O-scope most headunits clip long before you run out of knob eclipse tends to clip at volume 64 out of 80

[P-Dizzle 1]

Using a VOM or DMM, set the meter to AC. Download a test tone and burn it. Preferable multiple times. Set the volume on your head unit to 75%. Connect the meter to the speaker outputs on the amp. The target voltage of that amp is around 35 volts. Turn the gain all the way down on the amp and slowly turn it up until the voltage reaches 35 on the meter.

edit- Turn off all boosts, eq settings, loudness, etc...

Yea, I was wondering what voltage to look for.

When you say turn off the EQ, do you mean run it flat -- 0's across the board or negative.

What ohm load are you running?

[P-Dizzle 1]

and yes. flat on the EQ.

[fritosaregood 0]

flat eq = zeros

[P-Dizzle 1]

the apsolute best way to set your gain is with an O-scope most headunits clip long before you run out of knob eclipse tends to clip at volume 64 out of 80

This is why we set voltage at 75% attenuation. Scopes are out of reach for most people.

[JoshM20 0]

What the hell is an O Scope?

What ohm load are you running?

1ohm

[P-Dizzle 1]

What the hell is an O Scope?

What ohm load are you running?

1ohm

34.6 Target voltage on the 1200D @ 1ohm.

[loudcav 1]

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/pshowdetl....amp;ctab=1#Tabs

[P-Dizzle 1]

MCM carries them too. Cool little gadgets but too spendy for most. Scope