clipping and max rated watts/max volume


Does clipping and max power/max volume usually occur before the volume knob is turned all the way to it's maximum full rotation? What point is typically full power unclipped / max volume? i.e. -Volume knob around half to 3/4 way to max rotation?
128x128labguy

Showing 2 responses by atmasphere

Clipping has very little to do with the volume control position and everything to do with how strong the signal is.

So you can't rely on the position. If you hear the amp distorting, turn it down.
I thought pre amps were built to max out the average amp right around half way on the dial. This has been my experience, I think. Except for my Oppo BDP95 at 2v out direct to my LSR&D monos with 2.4v in. But I can get the clipping indicators on the amps to flash. Why would that be? Wrong specs?

Just a FWIW in addition to Al's comments- there is no 'standard' to max out the amp around half way on the dial. Amplifier sensitivity varies from 50 db in some rare cases (The Antique Sound Lab Hurricane being an example) to only about 12db as in the case of some SETs!

In addition, "practical" speaker sensitivities vary over a 20 db range. So its a bit of a dance between wild parameters that a preamp designer must contend with- and likely will either design for specialty concepts (for example, only works with low gain amps) or otherwise might ignore the outlier situations of amplifier gain and speaker sensitivity.