Replacing 15" Speakers

[mbelue]

A well designed amp has a clip protection built in. But we don't know what he was running, and some amps are not designed as well as others.

A solid state amp without proper clip protection circuitry will flat line the peaks. I've measured it on an oscilloscope.

True but this is called a square wave. Sounds fuzzy and great, but isn't harmful to drivers. Some pedals do this on purpose.
Still AC.
Amps can "leak" DC if they aren't working properly but a clipped amp is still outputting AC.

 

[swamp_bass]

They have clip protection (warning lights), but most amps do NOT have a limiter.

So we're probably saying the same thing but with different terminology. To a woofer, clipping to DC would be similar to running heavily compressed. You'd go from peaks and valleys in your power to pure RMS continuous power, effectively doubling the energy you're pumping into the coils. Yes?

*** Edit ****

Yes, mbelue, I'm referring to square wave behavior when I say "clipping to DC." The sine waves flatten at the limits of the rails, which when pushed hard enough, looks much like a square wave with a DC offset alternating high and low. I hate to bog down the thread with technobabble, but just wanted to make sure he knew the cause and didn't waste money on another set of speakers destined to be killed as well.

 

[Bass_Pounder]

Yes..........and it is mostly high frequency, which is why clipping/distortion tears up tweeters, but not woofers. Woofers get killed by overpowering.

 

[CL400Peavey]

....

Square waves are still not DC. At no point are the woofers stationary. Sure there is more power being pushed through the speaker, but in no way is that "underpowering".

And well designed amps do not always have a clip limiter. If they did, no tube about would break up. There are also plenty of SS amps that break up in a pleasing way.

 

[basskidd]

haha cool stuff on here!
I was running through an Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 (has a clip indicator, but I'm not sure about the rest...). Also I was running with no compression or anything, I think I had one pedal plugged in: my Fromel Shape EQ.

 

[JimmyM]

A well designed amp has a clip protection built in. But we don't know what he was running, and some amps are not designed as well as others.

A solid state amp without proper clip protection circuitry will flat line the peaks. I've measured it on an oscilloscope.

That doesn't mean it'll blow out speakers. If the speakers can handle the clipping, they'll be fine.