The Redhead went to the store and I was released from duty owing to a bout with food poisoning or something last night (I do not believe Covid-related, based on my gluttonous attack yesterday of a cookie care package sent to us by a friend).
So, I suggested that the cat go to another part of the house, put the Chesky demonstration disk into the CD player, and cranked it up.
Question: how does the amp determine when to light the clip indicators?
Because I sure as heck made them flash at me playing the “loud” drum solo track at the end of the CD. Peaks at 105 dBA (measured) at my sitting position and not the slightest hint of audible clipping. The track of the organ and church choir also peaked at that level but did not light the indicators, so my SPL meter app is certainly not catching the points of the peaks. It certainly sounded louder—easily in comparison well over 110 dB, but I’d need a better meter to know by how much.
If the speakers compress at all at these levels, I can’t tell it. I wouldn’t play test tones that loud but with music it’s awesome. The B&K preamp puts out 12 VRMS maximum, and the volume pot was at 12 o’clock. Testing was done with EQ, of course.
After I judged my free time was up, I shut it down and moved back to the back bedroom, to which the cat had retreated. She shot the bird at me.
The amp is dead silent with no input, but I do hear the components hissing slightly when turned on.
At similar levels, the B&K amps were showing signs of compression (damping of drums) and strain. That additional 3 dB makes a difference. I’ll move them back to driving a pair of my stacked Advents as soon as I find the right place for that. (We just built a shop/garage and I want to turn the old garage into an exercise room.)
Rick “the clip indicators work” Denney