Probably distortion somewhere - most likely clipping with the amp. When it sounds either loud or congested at higher SPL but fine at lower levels then it can be either the power amp or the speakers. (speakers do not clip but they rapidly run out of linear operating range and voice coils can get very hot if driven hard - if you have an SPL meter and if peaks are above 100 db SPL at the listening position then you are in speaker compression territory)
Is this clipping or just high SPL?
Hey everyone,
A question arose today during a listening session. I have a Yamaha M40 120wpc amp driving GMA C1's with a passive pre-amp. I usually run both my pre-amp and amp at about 12... but on rare occasions I will turn my pre-amp up all the way and boost my amp to about 2 or 3 o'clock. I do this on recordings that seem to be mastered lower than usual...
Anyways, today I was listening at the higher play levels and a particularly abrupt loud passage came... specifically, it was 'Dark Side of the Moon' when the bells come in on the beginning of the third track (that everyone has heard at least 40 times).
I didn't hear any clipping, and never have on this system... but things just sounded more congested with less separation and clarity than I'm used to. Given, it only lasted about 10 seconds during that one sequence... but it sparked the question of whether it was likely that the amp was clipping or that it was just loud beyond my comfortable listening level. I am in a small room about 8 feet from the speakers, btw...
Thanks.
A question arose today during a listening session. I have a Yamaha M40 120wpc amp driving GMA C1's with a passive pre-amp. I usually run both my pre-amp and amp at about 12... but on rare occasions I will turn my pre-amp up all the way and boost my amp to about 2 or 3 o'clock. I do this on recordings that seem to be mastered lower than usual...
Anyways, today I was listening at the higher play levels and a particularly abrupt loud passage came... specifically, it was 'Dark Side of the Moon' when the bells come in on the beginning of the third track (that everyone has heard at least 40 times).
I didn't hear any clipping, and never have on this system... but things just sounded more congested with less separation and clarity than I'm used to. Given, it only lasted about 10 seconds during that one sequence... but it sparked the question of whether it was likely that the amp was clipping or that it was just loud beyond my comfortable listening level. I am in a small room about 8 feet from the speakers, btw...
Thanks.
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- 20 posts total
- 20 posts total