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Clipping issue

B

BassBeat33

Feb 12, 2005
38
0
38
charleston, wv
www.getofftheshed.net
#1
I've searched some and found out that clipping the speakers can be bad and ruin speakers. i dont want this. Now my issue is this : I am running a ibanez srx500 into a yamaha pb-1 into a plx1602 bridged into an eden 410xst. with the pre volume turned up a little past 12 o'clock, i can only turn the poweramp volume up a little past 1/4 of the way before it the clip meter starts hitting the red and i start getting unwanted distortion. the volume produced at this level does not even seem that loud to me, as everyone else's volume is the same as usual and im keep needing to turn up reluctantly. If i have this wrong please correct me but shouldnt i be pushing upwards of 1000 watts at bridged 8 ohms; i realize i might have this wrong so please correct me if i do. It just seems to me that i should be able to reach a louder level than i am before i start clipping. So please, please someone give me some advice... is this normal, do i just need more power or am i doing something wrong here?
 
#2
You don't clip speakers, you clip an amp. It's not good for loudspeakers to put excessive power into them, and an amp that is clipping is actually putting out more power than what it's rated for.

If you're getting audible distortion, then you're either clipping the preamp as well, or for some reason you have the clip limiter disengaged on the amp. Don't worry about briefly clipping the amp now and then, as long as the loudspeakers can handle those peaks.

What is the impedance of your loudspeaker cabinet, and how do you have it hooked up to the amp? What are your DIP switch settings on the amp?
 
#3
i am running the poweramp bridged into an 8 ohm cab, i will check as soon as i get to my practice space about the switches.. how should they be set for this application?

the preamp is connected to the power with a 1/4 cable from the unbalanced out and im running a speakon to 1/4 cable from the power amp to the cab.

also, i have cut the bass some and boosted the mids some on the preamp EQ, but cannot remember the exact settings.
 
#5
what do you mean by how is it wired? I didn't really check into this just plugged and played, i will check to be certain but for now all i can say is there is a blue and red wire if i remember correctly. How should it be wired?

Does anyone else have any input into this? i know this topic is getting repetitive but I'm just trying to figure all this out.

thanks.
 
#6
See page 16 of the manual. It shows how a Speakon connector needs to be wired to terminals 1+ and 2+ for bridged mono operation. If you use one wired to 1+ and 1-, then you'll only be using one channel of the amp, which is rated at 300 watts into 8 ohms.

You can open up the Speakon connector to see how it's wired. You can even change the wiring without soldering or unsoldering. It has to be a 4-pin connector (NL4FC), not a 2-pin.
 
#7
I'm continually shocked and scared every time I hear of people using "a speakon" to run bridged mono, who are totally confused when you ask them how its wired.

For bridged mono operation, a typical, off the shelf store bought speakon cable needs to have ONE END of its connector rewired to 1+ and 2+ from the standard 1+ 1-.

If people can't understand this, then they shouldn't be using these cables or attempting to run bridged mono.

Read the manuals, people!
 
#8
yea it's probably the speakon. the same thimg happened to me years ago when i got my first poweramp that had speakon outputs. i thought, this can't be as loud as it gets. once you get used to speakon connections they are great, but you do have a much bigger margin for error than bannana clips or 1/4". and once you wire the speakon right make sure you keep track of what end you modified.
 
#9
Can you guys please explain how to re-wire the one end of the Speakon to +2/+1 (or however it is). I'll be going this route in Sept and I'd like to make sure I have all my ducks in a row before I pull the trigger on my new rig.

The power amp I'm getting has Speakon only speaker outlets and the cab is 1/4" so I'll be using a combo / hybrid MAINLINE speaker chord.

Your advise is needed and much appreciated.

Thanks,
-Bazz-
 
#10
bazzanderson said:
Can you guys please explain how to re-wire the one end of the Speakon to +2/+1 (or however it is). I'll be going this route in Sept and I'd like to make sure I have all my ducks in a row before I pull the trigger on my new rig.

The power amp I'm getting has Speakon only speaker outlets and the cab is 1/4" so I'll be using a combo / hybrid MAINLINE speaker chord.

Your advise is needed and much appreciated.

Thanks,
-Bazz-
Click to expand...

Really, the easiest way is to just open it up and do it. You might need a large wrench to undo the ring that holds everything together, and you'll need a Phillips screwdriver (or a certain size Allen (hex) key, if it's an older one) to loosen or tighten the wire clamps, and some good light to read the pin markings.
 
#11
I'm laughing my ass off here, thinking of all those people that said the "Mo Bass" amp seems "underpowered", it just doesn't seem to have all 900 watts its supposed to when in bridged mode. The bridge mode is exclusively a speakon connector.

I'll bet someone a dollar its the same issue.

Randy

PS... I'm going to doublecheck my speakon on the Mo Bass. I just noticed the speakon is the 2 wire connector, not the 4 pin. Had a hell of a time finding a 2 pin cable. So I bet they purposely "mis-wired" the speakon connection so that a normal 2 wire speakon cable will work correctly. That would be the smart thing to do.
 
#12
BassBeat33 said:
I've searched some and found out that clipping the speakers can be bad and ruin speakers. i dont want this. Now my issue is this : I am running a ibanez srx500 into a yamaha pb-1 into a plx1602 bridged into an eden 410xst. with the pre volume turned up a little past 12 o'clock, i can only turn the poweramp volume up a little past 1/4 of the way before it the clip meter starts hitting the red and i start getting unwanted distortion. the volume produced at this level does not even seem that loud to me, as everyone else's volume is the same as usual and im keep needing to turn up reluctantly. If i have this wrong please correct me but shouldnt i be pushing upwards of 1000 watts at bridged 8 ohms; i realize i might have this wrong so please correct me if i do. It just seems to me that i should be able to reach a louder level than i am before i start clipping. So please, please someone give me some advice... is this normal, do i just need more power or am i doing something wrong here?
Click to expand...


You ARE doing it wrong....Turn up the power amp to over half and then bring up the preamp...no more clipping.

or turn the power amp ALL the way up...and then bring up the preamp...SHAZAMM!!...boy are you loud!!!
 
#14
BassBeat33 said:
Thanks for all the input, i looked and have a 2 pin speakon so that seems to be the problem. I already ordered the correct cable so hopefully this clears it up. Once again, thanks for the input.

jw
Click to expand...

Hey jw, for future reference: you can buy 4-pole Speakon plugs from a lot of sources, like GC, Sam Ash, etc., for probably about $6, give or take, which would be cheaper than a whole cable with the connector.

One of the great things about Speakon plugs is that they don't require specialized skills or tools towire up, like soldered connections do.
 

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