Speaker Clipping

kazaam

If i'm moving from an Onkyo HTiaB to two Monitor70s and a CS2 (with the surrounds staying onkyo until i can get some monitor40s or 60s or something tbd), and i was able to turn the volume up all the way on those little speakers without damage, will i have to worry about speaker clipping with these new speakers?

I guess im just concerned that (even though i never play it loud) ill damage the speakers sometime just by going a little too high with the volume. How easy is it to actually cause this type of damage?

RuSsMaN

Amp clipping, yes. Keep the volume in check until you can upgrade the Onkyo.

Cheers,
Russ

kazaam

RuSsMaN wrote: »

Amp clipping, yes. Keep the volume in check until you can upgrade the Onkyo.

Cheers,
Russ

Damn, how low are we talking? I dont ever get anywhere near reference levels. If i wanted to get rid of the onkyo receiver, i would have to buy a new receiver plus an amp (because no receiver under a ton of money is strong enough anyway) which would cost like...$1000+ easily. :frown:

carter71

I was worried about the same thing, since I don't want to buy a separate amp, but I've read several posts by people that drive those same speakers with mid-range AVR's. I'm getting a pair of Monitor 70's and 40's myself in a few weeks to go with the CS2 I just got. I plan to purchase a Pioneer VSX-1121 to power this 5.1 setup. Most posts I've read indicate that it will do the job well. Since you have also indicated that you don't turn your volume up to extreme levels, I think a good AVR should do for you as well. If you like Onkyo, the 800 series is one that I've seen people use to power a setup like yours.

Upstatemax

kazaam wrote: »

Damn, how low are we talking? I dont ever get anywhere near reference levels. If i wanted to get rid of the onkyo receiver, i would have to buy a new receiver plus an amp (because no receiver under a ton of money is strong enough anyway) which would cost like...$1000+ easily. :frown:

Look for a used or refurb AVR. You could spend a lot less than a brand new model for a great piece of equipment. Make sure it has pre outs that way you can dive into an amp later on when you have enough money.

Honestly, you can pick up a refurb Pioneer SC-07 for $700 and it's more than enough to drive the M70's.

http://www.unitedonlineshopping.com/pisc71chavel.html

Upstatemax

Or you could do the Pioneer SC-05 for $600 from the same website...

tonyb

Any decent receiver will drive the monitor line with out worries. The problem comes in at user error. In other words, keep the volume knob below -10 dbs or on the left side of the 12 o'clock position, depending on your volume scale. You don't need a seperate amp for the 70's in real world applications.

Don't worry so much Kazaam, if you don't listen too loud anyway, then you should be fine. Oh, btw....never turn up the volume "all the way" as you say. A little voice in your head should start saying "Danger...Danger Will Robinson".

kazaam

Thanks guys.

And lol tonyb, you're probably right. I think the thing that made that voice not come in is the fact that the receiver only goes to like 69-70 anyway. So I could realistically only get it to (since mines backward) -30-31 db anyway. I usually limit it even more manually to about 60 (or -40db).

So basically as long as I'm not blaring music or listening at reference levels it's not a huge deal?

tonyb

kazaam wrote: »

So basically as long as I'm not blaring music or listening at reference levels it's not a huge deal?

Correct.....as Clint Eastwood used to say.....

" A mans got to know his limitations"

stuwee

I'm not familiar with the 70's, but most speakers I've heard will sound awful before they blow from their limitaions in handling higher power than they were built for. An amp in clipping mode is the real enemy of speakers, well that or a Phase Linear that hasn't been modded :eek: POOF!!

kazaam

stuwee wrote: »

I'm not familiar with the 70's, but most speakers I've heard will sound awful before they blow from their limitaions in handling higher power than they were built for. An amp in clipping mode is the real enemy of speakers, well that or a Phase Linear that hasn't been modded :eek: POOF!!

ah great! so theyll give me some forwarning that they are gonna get ruined! speakers sound good---->start sounding not good (distortion)---->clipping---->new speakers.

stuwee

kazaam wrote: »

ah great! so theyll give me some forwarning that they are gonna get ruined! speakers sound good---->start sounding not good (distortion)---->clipping---->new speakers.

The key word is most, I'm not that familiar with those Polks, big bursts of clean power on dynamic stuff should be fine, but put a brickwalled Cd on at high levels and you'll probably run screaming from the room before you damage them.

Ronster267

I have a set of Monitor 70's as my front left and right speakers along with a CS20 center with Bose 161 surround speakers ( they WILL be replaced with Polk's soon!!!). This is all driven by a run of the mill Pioneer TSX-1016K 7.1 reciever (110 watts per channel). The Polk's sound awesome!!! Before you have to worry about clipping issues, the Polk's will likely run you from the room, or perhaps induce the neighbor's to call the cop's for creating a disturbance due to the sheer awesomness they are capable of!