x600.1 clipping

Capital_M · Post by **Capital_M** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:42 pm

So some of you may remember in october i blew my RSD 12 becuase i clipped a signal from my deck.

Also I have a TLD 66. Now when i turned TLD or x600 gains up past 47 volts, the x600 would make a buzzing sound and the blue light would flash, indicating a clip. As soon as power was brought lower then 47 volts everything would be back to normal.

my x600 should output 57 volts for full power. I also found out one channel of the rca was broken.

So just now i changed up the rca becuase i picked up some new subs. I was setting gains now with new rcas and set the TLD66 at 6 volts out.

Now as soon as i raised the gains on the x600 past 50 volts i would get that buzzing sound and blue light again. (the clip)

So why cant i get the full power out of this amp? My car battery sits at 13.96 volts at idle.

All gains were set with a 60hz test tone.

Im afraid im going to blow my new subs

Any advice?

Post by **stipud** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:07 pm

It's possible that your headunit or linedriver is already clipping. Turn down the volume and try again. If it works, then you are clipping further up the chain.

How is your wiring set up? Do you have solid grounds?

Capital_M · Post by **Capital_M** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:18 pm

my ground looks pretty good, clean solid metal with no paint, and uses 0 gauge

My head unit has all settings at flat, and it was only on 50/62 volume.

The linedriver says it puts out 8 volts, i set the fronts to 7-8v and the sub (the problem) to 6v.

With that said, i get some electrical noise (i guess) from the front speakers when i turn the line driver up, not loud but enough that you can tell when the stereo is on. (front amp is set to 0 gains) Although it has been like this for 6 months and the fronts sound great so its not clipping becuase the x100.2 is fine, never over heats

Capital_M · Post by **Capital_M** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 4:32 pm

anyone else want to offer some isight? Could my DMM be off? Could my sine wave not be 0db?

Post by **stipud** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 6:06 pm

DMM's don't show when something is clipping. I personally set the gains on my Audiocontrol Three.1 so that it produces 8 volts RMS... however, I always got clipping, when I was theoretically using what should have been a properly gain matched level. So instead I reduced my headunit volume (thereby avoiding clipping the linedriver) and upped my amp gain... voila, problem solved.

You really need an oscilloscope to properly set gains. Unfortunately there are few easy options for that.

Capital_M · Post by **Capital_M** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 8:05 pm

soooo maybe bring it down to 40/62 and reset linedriver and amp gains?

Its weird tho, since my x100.2 doesnt clip

Post by **stipud** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 8:40 pm

Leave your linedriver gains as-is... just reduce the headunit volume, which will reduce the linedriver volume as well. That way you can be sure neither are clipping. THEN you can try running your amp gains higher, to see if it still cuts out. If so, there is likely an amp problem. If not, there is likely a clipping problem with the headunit or linedriver. If not, then you increase your linedriver voltage and try again... if the problem happens, it's the linedriver, if not, it's the headunit.

KnowwhatImean?

Capital_M · Post by **Capital_M** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 6:09 am

but if my head unit was clipping or line driver was clipping, wouldnt the amp automatically be clipping (and showing the flashing blue light and buzzing sound)

I doubt its my head unit as my fronts are not clipping

Post by **stipud** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:29 am

Capital_M wrote:but if my head unit was clipping or line driver was clipping, wouldnt the amp automatically be clipping (and showing the flashing blue light and buzzing sound)

I doubt its my head unit as my fronts are not clipping

If the clipped signal being fed to the amp is within the amplifier's power capabilities, then it won't overload.

Are you using a 60Hz test tone for all of this?

Capital_M · Post by **Capital_M** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:31 pm

yes, 60hz 0 db off realmofexcursion.com

fordtough1 · Post by **fordtough1** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 6:41 pm

Is it possible you have the sub output on your deck turned up? I know on my pioneer deck you can control the sub output independantly. It can go up to like +6 or down to -10 or something. Do you maybe have it up past the zero point and it is causing the sub signal to clip?

fordtough1 · Post by **fordtough1** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 6:42 pm

Or maybe try just lowering your sub output below zero if your fronts aren't clipping? I don't knoiw if this would make a difference or not....

Post by **mr tibbs** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:18 pm

Switch RCA's around on the back side of your deck and see if the "clipping" still happens at the sub amp. If so it's your HU, if not we continue looking.

Capital_M · Post by **Capital_M** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 8:44 pm

fordtough1 wrote:Is it possible you have the sub output on your deck turned up? I know on my pioneer deck you can control the sub output independantly. It can go up to like +6 or down to -10 or something. Do you maybe have it up past the zero point and it is causing the sub signal to clip?

thats zero

Capital_M · Post by **Capital_M** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 8:46 pm

mr tibbs wrote:Switch RCA's around on the back side of your deck and see if the "clipping" still happens at the sub amp. If so it's your HU, if not we continue looking.

Do you mean see if the sub outputs off the HU are clipping?

I'd rather not do this right now as its freezing and i dont want any plastic to break.

Couldnt i just switch them at the line driver which i have easy access to?

Post by **mr tibbs** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 8:50 pm

Capital_M wrote:
mr tibbs wrote:Switch RCA's around on the back side of your deck and see if the "clipping" still happens at the sub amp. If so it's your HU, if not we continue looking.
Do you mean see if the sub outputs off the HU are clipping?

I'd rather not do this right now as its freezing and i dont want any plastic to break.

Couldnt i just switch them at the line driver which i have easy access to?

Well, the way I see if it your checking to see if your sub out rca's from your hu are clipping you should be able to test the rca's going into the line driver. Of course the volts are going to be a lot less, but if it's clipping you should be able to pick it up.

Capital_M · Post by **Capital_M** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 8:59 pm

mr tibbs wrote:
Capital_M wrote:
mr tibbs wrote:Switch RCA's around on the back side of your deck and see if the "clipping" still happens at the sub amp. If so it's your HU, if not we continue looking.
Do you mean see if the sub outputs off the HU are clipping?

I'd rather not do this right now as its freezing and i dont want any plastic to break.

Couldnt i just switch them at the line driver which i have easy access to?
Well, the way I see if it your checking to see if your sub out rca's from your hu are clipping you should be able to test the rca's going into the line driver. Of course the volts are going to be a lot less, but if it's clipping you should be able to pick it up.

how would i know if its clipping? The only reason i know the x600.1 is clipping is becuase of the buzzing and flashign blue light

dedlyjedly · Post by **dedlyjedly** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 1:05 am

Capital_M wrote:...Now when i turned TLD or x600 gains up past 47 volts, the x600 would make a buzzing sound and the blue light would flash, indicating a clip.

When the blue led on a xenon amp starts flashing in one second intervals that indicates a protection circuit has been tripped. It doesn't indicate that you're clipping the amp. From the manual..."this usually means the amp is in need of service or there is a grounded speaker wire is present in the system."

I recommend you disconnect everything from the speaker output terminals. Examine it closely to ensure there aren't any remaining strands of copper that could be shorting out the outputs and try to drive your amp up to the appropriate ACV output. This will double-check the possibiligy of a shorted output. The protection circuits tripping along with a buzzing noise (not a good sign) would indicate the amp needs service imho, but you'll still want to double check the other remote possibility.

Capital_M · Post by **Capital_M** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:10 am

dedlyjedly wrote:
Capital_M wrote:...Now when i turned TLD or x600 gains up past 47 volts, the x600 would make a buzzing sound and the blue light would flash, indicating a clip.
When the blue led on a xenon amp starts flashing in one second intervals that indicates a protection circuit has been tripped. It doesn't indicate that you're clipping the amp. From the manual..."this usually means the amp is in need of service or there is a grounded speaker wire is present in the system."

I recommend you disconnect everything from the speaker output terminals. Examine it closely to ensure there aren't any remaining strands of copper that could be shorting out the outputs and try to drive your amp up to the appropriate ACV output. This will double-check the possibiligy of a shorted output. The protection circuits tripping along with a buzzing noise (not a good sign) would indicate the amp needs service imho, but you'll still want to double check the other remote possibility.

so just check to make sure no copper threads are touching anything besides the terminals?

The manual also states it needs service if the blue light continues to flash. Mine doesnt continue, only after 51+ volts are outputed.

What does the bussing mean exactly?