What is the "soft clipping" switch for on my NAD 2200

[Johnny Canuck]

Hey guys...jut wondering what the "soft clipping" switch does on my amp. The guy I bought it off said it should be on at all times. Can someone explain what it does and if it affects quality and what if any damage it prevents..

Thanks a bunch!

JC

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Hey guys...jut wondering what the "soft clipping" switch does on my amp. The guy I bought it off said it should be on at all times. Can someone explain what it does and if it affects quality and what if any damage it prevents..

Thanks a bunch!

JC

In a given amp, a resonant filter uses a current limiting function,
preventing the signal from being too loud (soft clipping). It can limit an amp from doubling down when driving difficult loads - i.e. a normal 100 watt amp at 8 ohms and .007 thd would normally deliver 200 watts at 4 ohms at the same distortion, but run into clipping issues due to undersized caps/transformers/power supplies, etc... Therefore a current limiter will round off the peaks of a signal if the amp is driven too hard. It "softens" the sound when the amp is played at high levels. It avoids the fatiguing highs sometimes associated with IMD.

 

[Johnny Canuck]

Wow Buckeye. You know your stuff!!

So, in plain english....Does the switch affect quality? If it's off is it better output?

From what you said, I take it at high levels it's best to have this switch on?

BTW, do you know where to find an instruction manual for this older amp? I know there's not much to it. No gain control unfortunately. I tried taking it off my system completely the other day. The 3805 sounded a little clearer without it. I then tried to run it at full power on my fronts. Too bright, but louder. Tried it on the highs with the 3805 running the lows, cut bass output considerably.

I also tried the setup mic without the NAD and I think it made a difference on the EQ. Why is that?

Buckeye, if you had my system, how would you set it up? I notice there is a mono switch. If I am just using it on the lows can I do this for more power? Would finding another 2200 and bridging it open up my Polk RTI 12's? If you go to Ebay right now and search the 2200 you can read all about it from a guy selling one. Thanks for looking into this.

JC

 

[MacManNM]

Wow Buckeye. You know your stuff!!

So, in plain english....Does the switch affect quality? If it's off is it better output?

From what you said, I take it at high levels it's best to have this switch on?

BTW, do you know where to find an instruction manual for this older amp? I know there's not much to it. No gain control unfortunately. I tried taking it off my system completely the other day. The 3805 sounded a little clearer without it. I then tried to run it at full power on my fronts. Too bright, but louder. Tried it on the highs with the 3805 running the lows, cut bass output considerably.

I also tried the setup mic without the NAD and I think it made a difference on the EQ. Why is that?

Buckeye, if you had my system, how would you set it up? I notice there is a mono switch. If I am just using it on the lows can I do this for more power? Would finding another 2200 and bridging it open up my Polk RTI 12's? If you go to Ebay right now and search the 2200 you can read all about it from a guy selling one. Thanks for looking into this.

JC

That is a good little amp.


The soft clip does affect the sound. It basically limits the dynamic range of the amplifier.

I would get the other one and run them in bridged / bi-amped mode, using your 3805 for the highs and one of the 2200's for the bass. At the higher listening levels you are going to notice a big improvement.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Mac is correct. Use the 2200 for the bass, and the 3805 for the mids and highs biamped.

So, in plain english....Does the switch affect quality? If it's off is it better output?
From what you said, I take it at high levels it's best to have this switch on?

If you use it for just the woofers, leave it off. Assuming you use it to drive the entire towers, then yes, it affects quality. If it's off, it will allow more distortion in the high end of the frequency band. The switch is there b/c some guys prefer the brightness (like you would hear in a jazz club - live band). With it on, some say you lose "punch." You're not going to blow your tweeters if you have a keen ear for distortion and clipping, plus with the added power, you'll have more headroom. You can leave the switch off as long as you promise to be careful.

 

[Johnny Canuck]

Thanks guys!!

How about switching to mono from stereo if I am running just the lows? I tried that last night and it wouldn't switch for some reason.

There are also 2 inputs.. ones for "Lab in" and one for "normal in"...what's the diff?

 

[warpdrive]

If you don't plan on really cranking it, leave it off. It could save your tweeters if you play it at high levels.

The jury is out whether it affects the sound or not. I couldn't hear the difference myself at normal listening levels. At least nothing that I would bet money on in a blind test.

 

[markw]

I agree with every word he says.

If you don't plan on really cranking it, leave it off. It could save your tweeters if you play it at high levels.

The jury is out whether it affects the sound or not. I couldn't hear the difference myself at normal listening levels. At least nothing that I would bet money on in a blind test.

I've tried it both on and off with my 214 and haven't been able to tell the difference. So, I leave it on. It's cheap insurance

 

[MacManNM]

I've tried it both on and off with my 214 and haven't been able to tell the difference. So, I leave it on. It's cheap insurance

This is absolutely correct.

What happens is a feedback loop in the amp circuit, automatically kicks in and reduces the overall gain of the amplifier when the input approaches the maximum level. You get no affect when listening at normal levels.

 

[Mike Kay]

NAD protect & overload lights on

I have a NAD 2200 that won't come out of protection mode/overload mode.
I did however find the service manual for $15.95 at:

http://www.servicemanuals.net/(4mmqhjbkkmnylrebakpxxwer)/results.aspx?type=SM&brand=193&model=2200

My 2200 has had the shorted power transistors replaced but the soft clip, overload, and protection lights remain on. Any ideas out there? I'll trade the PDF files of the service manuals for decent tech advice.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Nick250]

I am probably stating the obvious, but on my Denon receiver there is a system reset process that goes beyond just unplugging it Resets every thing to factory defaults. I used it to good effect when I first got it and got the settings screwed up. Disemboweling whoever wrote the manual seemed like a good idea at the time.

Don't know if NAD has something similar.

Nick

 

[Sink-The-Pink]

soft clipping

Hi there

as a guitarist my answer will probably be very different to others

Clipping is something that naturally occurs in an amplifier, when the amplitude of the electrical signal reaches an unsustainable level, the top section of the signal "clipped", which leaves you with a rather "square" looking signal. This square looking signal can be useful, but if not it can be repaired or rectified by using diodes to "soften out" the signal. leaving you with a signal that has been clipped, and then softened, hence the term soft clipping.

Soft clipping stops the sound becoming overdriven, if for example a guitar amplifier is overdriven i.e. by increasing the gain or volume, it would give the sound you may hear from a rock guitarist for example.

sorry if this is not much help or not what you where looking for

 

[royalmp2001]

Hey Mike Kay,
Willing to sell your NAD 2200 service manual pdf?
If it is the original 2200 manual and not the 2200pe supplement.
Please let me know, thanks

 

[its phillip]

the dude you are asking posted one time in 2006...what makes you think he'll respond? lol

 

[audionut99]

nad 'soft clipping'

Since any amp has to start clipping after max power (going above max audio power gives an improper sine wave on the scope and often inaudible damaging distortion that kills a speakers voice coils) NAD's soft clip feature is merely a limiting system that help keeps your music from damaging your speakers from clipping. As long as you never try to reach max power you may never need to turn it on. If you are one who mischeviously 'exercises' your amp then the soft clip feature may possibly save your voice coils sometimes from clipping torture from the amp's overuse. I used two 2400's without the soft clip feature activated with no problem for many years as I never achieved half volume with my music playing. I hope this helps.