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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
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
Clipping yes.
mapman's avatar
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mapman
15,679 posts
 
Sounds like textbook tube soft clipping to me.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
4,163 posts
 
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.
4est
507 posts
 
I agree with onhwy61. Furthermore, some equipment cannot handle intense complex passages. A lot of single driver speakers have problems with that. Quad ESLs for instance, NOS DACs too.
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shadorne
7,333 posts
 
If it sounds great at any and all volumes then there is no reason why it cannot play rock. If it is clipping on rock then it will clip on jazz too - if you play loud enough.
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