Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site cubsvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!cmcl2!rocky2!cubsvax!peters From: peters@cubsvax.UUCP Newsgroups: net.audio Subject: Re: More on my AR-11 statement. Message-ID: <186@cubsvax.UUCP> Date: Wed, 21-Mar-84 10:28:52 EST Article-I.D.: cubsvax.186 Posted: Wed Mar 21 10:28:52 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 23-Mar-84 07:25:45 EST References: <1840@tektronix.UUCP> <352@dual.UUCP> <240@opus.UUCP>, <364@dual.UUCP> Organization: Columbia Univ Biology, New York City Lines: 16 You tell people to take the precaution of operating low-power-rated tweeters with amps of modest power. NOTHING COULD BE WORSE!... especially if the efficiency of the driver is low. What happens is that the amp goes into clipping at any attempt to achieve moderately loud sounds. This generates high harmonics (since a clipped sine wave is like a square wave), overloads the high end, and blows the tweeters. Paradoxically, low-power-rated tweeters should always be operated with relatively high-powered amps. If this is done, higher volumes can be safely achieved than with an amp whose output is comparable to the rating of the driver. {philabs,cmcl2!rocky2}!cubsvax!peters Peter S. Shenkin Dept of Biol. Sci.; Columbia Univ.; New York, N. Y. 10027; 212-280-5517