Is this clipping?


I listen to jazz music mostly, using a 10 watt SET (300b) amp and a pair of high efficiency single driver speakers. Sounds great at any volume with any and all jazz. But when I try to play HEAVY rock music loudly, it sounds like a completely different system: The soundstage flattens, instruments blur, and dynamics are lost.
We all know that a system like mine is not intended for certain types of musics, but I wonder what is the main reason for this behavior. Is it clipping? Is it a characteristic of this particular type of tube or amplifier? Or is it a charateristic of full-range drivers like Fostex, Lowther, PhyHP?
psag

Showing 1 response by onhwy61

It could be clipping or you could be describing how a large percentage of rock recordings actually sound. Get an SPL meter and measure how loud you listen to both jazz and rock. If the sound deteriorates at the same SPL on both, then it's clipping.