No eye-rolling here, Stan, just a good chuckle at your comment :-)
The reason that speakers are commonly damaged by clipping of underpowered amplifiers is essentially as follows: Clipping occurs when the amp is asked to deliver a larger voltage swing at any instant of time than it is capable of delivering. That will usually occur at bass or mid-bass frequencies, where music typically contains its highest energy levels. Clipping means that the positive and negative peaks of what would normally be a smooth sinusoidal waveform will abruptly transition to a flat, essentially constant output level corresponding to the maximum positive and negative voltages that the amp is capable of delivering.
The ABRUPTNESS of those transition points corresponds to high frequency spectral components being present in the output signal that are not present in the original waveform. In other words, the clipped waveform contains excess high frequency energy, which the speaker's crossover will duly route to the tweeter. That can occur even if there is no high frequency energy at all in the original signal, as a result of the clipping of bass frequencies. Tweeters are ordinarily able to handle much less energy than lower frequency drivers, and can therefore be damaged by that excess energy.
Solid state amplifiers will typically clip more abruptly than tube amplifiers, therefore making them more likely to cause that kind of damage. Although if a tube amp is clipped severely enough, the same damage can result.
Severe clipping will be immediately obvious, because the sound will be horribly distorted. The onset of clipping may be characterized by mild distortion or slight popping sounds on musical peaks. I doubt that occasional mild clipping would cause any damage.
The volume control position at which the onset of clipping may occur is, IMO, unpredictable as a practical matter, and will vary very widely depending on the gains and sensitivities of all of the components that are involved, on the output level of the source component, on the power capability of the amplifier, and on the recording.
Best regards,
-- Al
The reason that speakers are commonly damaged by clipping of underpowered amplifiers is essentially as follows: Clipping occurs when the amp is asked to deliver a larger voltage swing at any instant of time than it is capable of delivering. That will usually occur at bass or mid-bass frequencies, where music typically contains its highest energy levels. Clipping means that the positive and negative peaks of what would normally be a smooth sinusoidal waveform will abruptly transition to a flat, essentially constant output level corresponding to the maximum positive and negative voltages that the amp is capable of delivering.
The ABRUPTNESS of those transition points corresponds to high frequency spectral components being present in the output signal that are not present in the original waveform. In other words, the clipped waveform contains excess high frequency energy, which the speaker's crossover will duly route to the tweeter. That can occur even if there is no high frequency energy at all in the original signal, as a result of the clipping of bass frequencies. Tweeters are ordinarily able to handle much less energy than lower frequency drivers, and can therefore be damaged by that excess energy.
Solid state amplifiers will typically clip more abruptly than tube amplifiers, therefore making them more likely to cause that kind of damage. Although if a tube amp is clipped severely enough, the same damage can result.
Severe clipping will be immediately obvious, because the sound will be horribly distorted. The onset of clipping may be characterized by mild distortion or slight popping sounds on musical peaks. I doubt that occasional mild clipping would cause any damage.
The volume control position at which the onset of clipping may occur is, IMO, unpredictable as a practical matter, and will vary very widely depending on the gains and sensitivities of all of the components that are involved, on the output level of the source component, on the power capability of the amplifier, and on the recording.
Best regards,
-- Al