What Is Clipping? Why Its Bad and how to Prevent It in YOUR System

[@southsidemikevlogs]

Nailed it bro it's always good to tune your system and have a smd tuner in hand to tune your system like a pro

[@relyt559]

If you ask me, destroying speakers is worse!!! very informative video, thanks kspaceguy. personally, I have never been able to clip, but I once bottomed out one of my custom speakers that used beyma woofer. It just wasnt capable of playing certain frequencies at loud volume without hearing the mechanism of it messing up inside!

[@jennermcdougall133]

I love this information it is important to note and protect my amp/speakers. I just got an outlaw model 5000 to power my speakers. Although they can handle up to 250 watt@4 ohm the outlaw outputs 180 to 4 ohm. The speakers have a sensitivity of 92 dB and I do not want an issue with clipping. I got the amp on your advice and I want to thank you, it powers my main 5 speakers with my Denon powering the 4 Atmos speakers. It woke them up! I cannot believe the level of detail that it opened up and I am so happy!! K pace guy I love your takes and help that you have given me with this hobby.

[@Kpaceguy]

Its my pleasure thanks for sticking around so long!

[@bikerdude22]

Nice explanation, thanks! I hope I didn't clip my NAD C700 when I turned it up to 77% when listening to loud rock on Spotify. The crossover was set to 80 Hz (all frequencies below that were filtered out) and was hooked up to my new, not-yet-broken-in Dali Opticon 2 MK2 bookshelf dpeakers. The sound was hard, flat and very treble-heavy. The subwoofer was off so I'm not worried about it. I turned it down after a few seconds. My speakers sound fine as far as I can tell, but I really hope I didn't damage them.

[@mpulford311]

Awesome video brother. Also check your cars headunit with the DD-1 to see where it distorts at. That'll be the max your can go on your volume before sending dirty signal to main amp. There should be a manual on how to perform that check. Keep up the great work brother 👍👍

[@Kpaceguy]

Greatly appreciate it

[@noluck8613]

Awesome 👏🏾 Now can you do a video on bottoming out a subwoofer? Please and thank you 🙏🏾.

[@jeffmyers55]

Awesome job explaining. Thank you

[@Kpaceguy]

You're welcome!

[@Deetroiter]

Great video! I’m curious to ask...do you think factory car systems are safe at the levels they came or can you still blow them even if it’s 100% factory stock? I’m guessing the sound system is paired together and must have been torture tested but I’m not sure

[@Itsmemld]

Very helpful. Appreciate it.

[@Kpaceguy]

Thanks for watching

[@jenksmalls99]

Very well said bro

[@bassbrother101]

Awesome video bro

[@aiden8831]

@Kpaceguy broooo thank you so much for this video!! Super well explained and now I finally know the source of my clipping. TRYNA PULL 3k off stock electrical!! Did do the big 3 but I ran out of 1/0 ring terminals so I wasn’t able to hook up my XS power d1200 yet, but man I was so anxious I just had to hear some bass! Running 2 skar DDX 12 d4 wired at 1 ohm to a tar amps smart 3. Oooo just wait til I get these babies the proper CLEAN amount of power they crave and deserve! Thanks again brotha keep up the good work!

[@Kpaceguy]

I appreciate it my guy thanks for watching

[@aiden8831]

@@Kpaceguy course bro, just subbed too. One more thing tho if you don’t mind.. My box is a bit on the big side so I was kinda wondering if I was bottoming out the subs at high volumes or if it was just the amp clipping due to lack of clean power. Net volume is around 5.5 cubes, port is 4 in. wide, 19.5 tall, 23.5 in long tuned at 35(might be irrelevant but just wanted to throw that in there) The thing is it does sound really good at low-mid volumes but I just know that they can do more. It is a bit peaky on the lows and I’d prolly say that my old system (2 kicker comp rs in prefab) hit the higher notes better/louder. Same with my other old system (2 JBL p1222s). Jbls did have a custom box but it was much smaller than the mini apartment building that’s sitting in my trunk right now hahaha. So maybe a smaller box? Or port tunage? More power? Combo of all 3?? Hahaha little lost on it. Just really don’t wanna damage anything I’ve been bussssstingggg ass on this build. Any feedback would be much appreciated bro!

[@Kpaceguy]

@@aiden8831 bottoming out is possible if you're playing music well below your port tuning. And if you are you can cut some of that back by raising your subsonic filter under 25hz. Until you get an appropriate box. If it's A BIT big it won't make too much impact on the subs but the well have a little trouble handling lows at high volumes

[@aiden8831]

@@Kpaceguy ahh yea shoot that makes perfect sense, good point. But word man yea I’m gonna try that first thing tomorrow! Definitely gonna build another box for it too after spending more time researching size/tuning/sub specs, etc. that I should’ve studied more the first go round smh.. thanks for the replies though man sorry for all the paragraphs hahaha.

[@gbel8985]

Thanks KP...You saved my system!

[@Kpaceguy]

My pleasure

[@gbel8985]

Sony STR-DH 790....is there supposed to be a slight humming sound by simply powering it on? I never paid any attention to things like thia before, I considered all my newby errors & thinking were normal/right.

[@Lowkey_nxthxn]

Yeah I recently got a Denon amplifier and it just won’t stop and I own a onkyo and it has never clipped one’s. but my Denon keeps on clipping whenever I’m watching something. And I don’t have this problem with a onkyo AVR.

[@noeteresasardina951]

If you leave your dd1 connected while playing playing music does it show distortion in your system? I’ve seen no matter if you set your gains on point with the 40 hz and 1k it still shows distortion while playing music cause it’s not set for all the other frequencies. Try it and let me know. 🤙🏼

[@305chevyboysp6]

So I’m getting a pippin sound from my subs when I turn bass up so it my be clipping how can I get it rite without tools

[@peyril9751]

really good vid

[@Kpaceguy]

I appreciate it

[@badquality4069]

Nice vid helpful

[@Kpaceguy]

Thank you!

[@kevystead]

I've experienced some clipping on my home theater system while listening to music at a high volume. Had the amp/receiver tested. It was Okay according to them. Watched your video, went into my settings.. zeroed everything. Gonna test it now. Front speakers I had at +4 :O might be why the mid/low drivers were popping and cutting out. Amp got real hot too. Hope I don't need new speakers!!

[@velocci6666]

What is the test tone level doing exactly in your avr? What's the difference between raising all those levels by 1 vs raising the master volume by 1?

[@Kpaceguy]

The master volume raises everything 0.5 db at a time so everything is turning up or down at the same rate. The test tone level is there to make sure that each speaker is playing at the same volume level regardless of what the master volume says.

[@velocci6666]

@@Kpaceguy so the test tone volumes is just like master volume but for each individual speaker right?

[@deletedaccount6663]

Will it automatically mess up speakers? cause mynes were clipping a few times and they still working just don't wanna mess them up but don't know if they get messed up instantly by clipping

[@Kpaceguy]

Clipping only happens when you turn the volume up high and your speakers ask for more power than the amps inside can give. If you never crank it up then it wasn't Clipping

[@gageskarbru182]

I actually just ruined my new vxf 15 from clipping on ONE song. Waiting for my new HO alternator, had the sub for about a month with no issues including 1hr+ playtimes. Then one day, I didnt notice the sub was clipping on and off for almost 2 minutes and that was enough to cook that poor coil. It was my mistake for missing it and not paying attention during that song. Definitely do not clip your stuff people. Now im torn between getting another vxf 15 or possibly something else. The SSA zcon and evil series look really promising, but i still never got to use my vxf to its full potential.

[@rowboyto156]

i have a question, why did you buy the dd1 when the new amp comes with a clip light and the 4 channel amp is already dialed in

[@Kpaceguy]

Because im curious how accurate it is vs the DD1 so there will be a video! Also my friend let me borrow so why not right? Lol

[@rowboyto156]

oh ok got it. hey ever thought of down firing the subs, might get less rattle and prevent your trunk lid from ripping apart. you will have to raise the box just enough to clear the subs excusion. if you do try it out use 3m tape and thick piece of wood so you dont have to drill a hole in the box

[@heckj78]

Good video but i have to say tuning isnt very hard i do it by ear i do every set of speakers individually starting with the mids and highs front first with all others disconnected adjust eq where i want it i always turn the bass almost all the way down mid at 0 and high at +1 or 2 start with gain all the way down volume on head unit at 3/4 leaves room for quieter songs and then turn up the gain till i just start hearing distortion and then back it off a little then the same with rear speakers and then sub once theyre all set then i play the whole system and start matching sound levels do this by turning the loudest area down not the quietest up also crossover adjustment is very important you want to keep high frequency out of your subs and low frequency out of the mids and highs i set my lpf at 80 and my hpf at 120 this will allow higher volumes and cleaner sound without distortion

[@Kpaceguy]

You can't always hear distortion. Sometimes it's just heat. From the listening position things might sound like gravy but at the speaker or even the amp itself it might be a different issue

[@heckj78]

That is true however the human ear can detect distortion at 1% thd which is what most amps are rated at rms these days i personally prefer class ab amps over class d while they do create more heat they also sound better musically and ive also never blown a speaker or amp had a lot of them get stolen but never blew one

[@heckj78]

Also i gotta say heat is not a bad thing overheating is definitely all kinds of bad however on the other side of the spectrum you dont want to get in your car in the middle of winter and start cranking on the stereo right away you got to let things warm up at lower volumes speakers dont like flexing and moving very well when theyre cold

[@dharshandm7488]

What about a square wave huh?

[@Kpaceguy]

What about it? Lol

[@zenassolomon]

Is it true that the clipping light flashing as bass drops ok as long as you don’t have a solid light?

[@Kpaceguy]

Correct

[@zenassolomon]

@@Kpaceguy ok thanks

[@whiteboy12911]

Quick question if I have 800 W amp and I got my speakers pushing out 1600 W would that be bad

[@Kpaceguy]

If 1600w is rms, yes

[@whiteboy12911]

It’s 200 watts each speaker

[@whiteboy12911]

My bad actually 1000 watch altogether that’s not bad is itIt’s actually doing pretty good

[@Kpaceguy]

@@whiteboy12911 is bad if you actually give them all 800w

[@bashns7743]

I got a 320 amp alternator with 3 batteries on stock radio with 2 zv5 12s on a DB 4000 amp and my knob indicates clipping on every song. Gain is at 1 oclock. I dk wat else to do

[@Kpaceguy]

Get a new radio

[@bashns7743]

@@Kpaceguy is that going to solve my problem?

[@Kpaceguy]

Yes your stock radio output voltage is not good. It clips very early in the volume knob. Aftermarket radios are more efficient

[@bashns7743]

@@Kpaceguy i got the lc2i to help the radio, even so id still need to swap out?

[@lesmatthews459]

I just got a new Denon AVR-S750H amp today. It is rated at 165 watts/ch X 7 at 6 ohms. My Cerwin Vega D-9's are rated at 400 watts r.m.s. at 6 ohm's. How far past "0" on the amp master volume should I be able to go without clipping?

[@Kpaceguy]

You DEFINITELY want an external amplifier. It won't take much to stress the receiver with those speakers

[@lesmatthews459]

@@Kpaceguy The amp should be good at normal volumes - right?

[@Kpaceguy]

@@lesmatthews459 correct

[@lesmatthews459]

@@Kpaceguy Thanks Big Guy! I was worried there after spending all that money!! Thanks for the replies! You're the best!! Any contact with Youthman lately?

[@Kpaceguy]

@@lesmatthews459 every so often

[@bigalanaf]

I have a 1200 RMS going to 2400 watt subs 4 ohm to 1 ohm and it's clipping and popping but I only have a 8 gauge wire for power could that cause the popping and clipping

[@Kpaceguy]

Power/ground wire too small. Subs way underpowered.

[@bigalanaf]

That's what I thought it just seemed impossible that they were getting too much and that's why they're popping definitely too small of a gauge I'm hoping that's all it is because the subs barely move when they pop

[@Kpaceguy]

It's more dangerous to underpower than to over power

[@bigalanaf]

@@Kpaceguy luckily I don't drive the car much so I am leaving it until I can get to swapping bigger gauge would I also need a bigger gauge remote wire or speaker wires?

[@Kpaceguy]

@@bigalanaf nope remote wire is fine

[@JBAmex]

so so your telling me I shouldn't distort my epic guitar sounds for my beats?

[@craigcarter5276]

Mine is clipping, but I don't have a cd player I use bluetooth, so what can I do?

[@Kpaceguy]

Turn your bluetooth down 1 click on your phone

[@winfield347]

Yes skar will clip.you got that right.lol

[@reokagro]

if my gains set properly if i have my head unit at max will it still be fine?

[@Kpaceguy]

No. You need to make sure that your radio gives clean signal at max volume.

[@reokagro]

@@Kpaceguy if i do the 40hz test and slowly raise it and see id i hear a difference after i raise it to a point is that good or do i need to actually buy a clipping detector

[@Kpaceguy]

@Reokagro Games distortion is not always heard. It's always safest to measure it. If you dont want to get a detector then set the volume 75% of max

[@reokagro]

@@Kpaceguy with a 500 watt sub and a 500 amp does the bass knob affect it?

[@Kpaceguy]

@@reokagro your best knob Is your volume knob

[@tevorquarles6139]

THIS VID IS BOSS!!... I HONESTLY THINK THAT U MAY HAVE SAVED ME ALOT OF HEARTACHE (AND DOLLARZ) BY HELPING ME 2 TAKE BETTER CARE OF MY NEW SKAR AUDIO... 👊🏾

[@Kpaceguy]

Glad I could help my friend

[@mattgiunt]

Excellent but I wish you had let us actually hear clipping.

[@Kpaceguy]

Definitely not lol not on my equipment! But there are other KZbin videos out there that demonstrates it

[@mattgiunt]

@@Kpaceguy Sorry LOL