2. amps-preamps
  3. 1167527738

Clipping and the pre amp...

Clipping,

So, as I understand it, clipping occurs when you drive a speaker at close to the amplifiers total output power. Where I lose comprehension on this thought, is when I modify the input to the amplifier. My preamp, an LS25 MKll, in addition to the volume control, has a variable gain switch. The switch is marked with Low, Medium, and High positions. The instructions are to run the preamp with the switch set on the lowest needed position for whatever source you're running at the time. Does it matter then, if I've got the volume turned up high on the preamp, with the gain set to low? Am I more likely to run into clipping as I'm asking the amps to push near their limits to amplify a smaller signal? Or, are the amps not working that hard, as they're not amplifying a big signal to a big volume?

The preamp remembers positioning for you from the last listening session, so it's a set it and forget it thing. I do find the sound more to my liking with the pre amp gain set lower, and the volume set higher.

Or, is this a mute question as it's all related to the speakers? In my case they'd be the Gallo Reference 3's...

Thanks,

Dave
rolloff
rolloff OP
129 posts
 
Sounds like a chicken and egg thing. In this case we know, you can't have an increase in the SPL's without increasing the level on your gain or your volume switch/knob.
rolloff OP
129 posts
 
I guess the answer then is, that if the gain is turned down, and the volume turned up, it's the same thing as if I had the gain on high and the volume at low, to the amplifier. Therefore, no clipping. This seems to be the logical explaination?
reb1208
518 posts
 
Perhaps you are having a problem with the very inexpensive "Dallas" digital chipset used in the ARC. It will overload if driven a highish input signal from a phonostage or digital source. That is why they have LOW-Med-High on the input control. You will also notice that their phonostages only put out max 57.5 gain. The Ref series had one input paded down to 12db gain to avoid the problem of "clipping" the input. Personally, I would never use ANY source component or linestage that attenuates via a digital control. FWIW, the new ARC Linestages no longer have this problem, but are still digital.
rolloff OP
129 posts
 
Actually, I'm not having any problems at all. I was only wondering, at the beginning of the thread, about the mechanics of clipping.The "overload problem" you mention is one I've not heard of in association with AR gear.
It works well for me though.
chadnliz
3,736 posts
 
I am I guess an Audiophile, though I prefer music lover above that odd sounding audio tittle, but I have never asked anyone to turn up or give me more SPL....am I out of the club now? :)
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