Digital clipping bad for B&W speakers?

[kking168]

I'm talking about clipping that's present in the source material from loud mastering. The new Metallica CD clips like crazy, and I've been cranking it on my 803Ds. I'm a little worried now. However, I never turn the amp up so much that the amp itself clips. Thanks for any insight.

[beden1]

Something is wrong, as my 803D's are never harsh nor have any hint of clipping regardless of what I play. It may be that your Krell is too bright for these speakers? I have not heard them through your equipment before, however. What are you using as your source player?

[joetama]

I can't stand to listen to music that clips...

So, I don't really know. But I would assume that as long as you aren't actually clipping the amplifier or speaker and pushing either to a thermal limit you should be fine.

[kking168]

The clipping on the new Metallica CD is a major point of discussion across the web, which the band members themselves had to address. Here's one link: http://mastering-media.blogspot.com/...-clipping.html. My source is a NAD C521 (don't have money to upgrade yet).

[Russ L]

The clipping on the new Metallica CD is a major point of discussion across the web, which the band members themselves had to address. Here's one link: http://mastering-media.blogspot.com/...-clipping.html. My source is a NAD C521 (don't have money to upgrade yet).

My new remastered vinyl version of "Master of Puppets" is compressed garbage as well. I couldn't get halfway thru the 1st song! So you have my sympathy. Alot of people have lost money purchasing these CDs and LPs. I took mine to the used store and got a third of my money back. Too bad we can't return albums as defective for being brickwalled and get a full refund.

[joetama]

I have never liked Metalica... Sorry it is just my opinion...

[littlesaint]

I have a flac rip of the Guitar Hero versions. The volume is a little low, and it needs a little EQ, but there's no clipping, and it sounds much better. I also bought the CD as well to keep my conscious clean. PM me you'd like more information.

[turnupthemetal]

Damn you Metallica! I was so excited to get this album and hoped like crazy that the sound quality would be better than St. Anger. No such luck 'ey. I have 684's powered by a Denon AVR1707.

[Briz vegas]

I have a flac rip of the Guitar Hero versions. The volume is a little low, and it needs a little EQ, but there's no clipping, and it sounds much better. I also bought the CD as well to keep my conscious clean. PM me you'd like more information.

The volume is a little low?

I think you will find that that is how it should be to take advantage of the dynamic range of CDs.

Take virtually an early PJ Harvey CD for example - like Dry or Rid of Me. To get "normal" playback level my volume is set to 40 - for most recent CDs I can get that volume at 15. Its only relative volume.......until the dynamics kick in.

If you have to turn up the volume chances are that is a good thing, but watch out for the dynamic parts of the recording, they could take you by surprise. That will never happen on a "hot" recording.

Dynamics make music so much more interesting. I only wish that some recent acts started using it just to be different. Start with a whisper, then crank it up and scare the pants of grandma. It think it is as dumb as artists ignoring stereo. Just think guys if you have both speakers blaring full volume all the time you can get an extra 3db vs just one - didn't think of that did you........or maybe they have.

Thinks....................actually that would not work, or at least not so as to get the full extra 3db that you get by going from just one speaker to two......anyway "no dynamics" is a lost opportunity unless you want a bland sound specifically

[DL86]

I have the death magnetic 5 x LP version, which I recorded onto my PC on wave files. There is still compression even on the vinyls, although a lot easier to listen to than the original release CD.

The CD is just terrible, sounds very hard if there's such a term, after listening to the CD for a while feels like someone put a gong near my head and slammed it as hard as possible.

I burned the wave files onto a CD which is easier to listen to vs the original release CD.

[littlesaint]

The volume is a little low?

I think you will find that that is how it should be to take advantage of the dynamic range of CDs.

Take virtually an early PJ Harvey CD for example - like Dry or Rid of Me. To get "normal" playback level my volume is set to 40 - for most recent CDs I can get that volume at 15. Its only relative volume.......until the dynamics kick in.

If you have to turn up the volume chances are that is a good thing, but watch out for the dynamic parts of the recording, they could take you by surprise. That will never happen on a "hot" recording.

Dynamics make music so much more interesting. I only wish that some recent acts started using it just to be different. Start with a whisper, then crank it up and scare the pants of grandma. It think it is as dumb as artists ignoring stereo. Just think guys if you have both speakers blaring full volume all the time you can get an extra 3db vs just one - didn't think of that did you........or maybe they have.

Thinks....................actually that would not work, or at least not so as to get the full extra 3db that you get by going from just one speaker to two......anyway "no dynamics" is a lost opportunity unless you want a bland sound specifically

By low volume, I mean when the rips done at a lower volume to make sure no clipping was present. They probably could have been done 2 or 3 dB higher. Not a big deal, just turn up the volume. Obviously EQ is a matter of taste and a function of your playback system.

[kking168]

Nice to see there's a few Metallica fans here. But back to the original question...is the clipping on Death Magnetic (the standard CD version) bad for our speakers if the volume is turned up? It's really a shame that their best work in 20 years suffers from the loudness war.

[PewterTA]

It doesn't help... but it doesn't cause as much problems as your amp actually clipping. Just because of how bad that CD is, I have not upped the volume really loud. I'm avoiding that just incase it could cause issues.

[turnupthemetal]

Nice to see there's a few Metallica fans here.

Totally agree :T I've been reading these forums for over a year now and generally don't post, but I LOVE Metallica and good sound. So....

I too haven't been game to turn up the sound, just in case. Perhaps someone with more "expert" knowledge could answer the question of whether or not this clipping can hurt our speakers.

BTW, the guitar hero version sounds heaps better and regardless of whether the clipping is damaging, I hate it and will be listening to this version.

[PewterTA]

It doesn't really hurt the speaker, clipping is basically over driving the speaker beyond it's limits. When it's done and in the reproduction, it is not causing the same effect to the driver. However, turned up loud enough, it can cause the driver to do a similar over-drive effect and can potentially damage the speaker.

Normally this has to be done repeatedly over and over for it to a perminent effect, but it is possible.

[emig5m]

Nice to see there's a few Metallica fans here.

Metallica is my number one band of all time, but I'm not a fan of their recent crap. What I don't understand is some of their CDs sound pretty good. Garage Inc. sounds good. They really made the cover songs sound so much better than the originals on the one of the two cds from Garage Inc.. I like the Live S&M cds. The Black Album is my all time favorite CD and sounds pretty good for metal and is my favorite 'sound' of Metallica. But St. Anger and Death Magnetic? WTF? I mean going all the way back to the early 80's with Kill 'Em All sounds night and day better then their new crap (I love the bass and kickdrumps in Kill 'Em All - it hits pretty good - I wish Ride the Lightning had the bass of Kill 'Em All.)

With all the technology they have now how couldn't they have top level sounding recordings? Are they going out of their way to make them sound bad?

[iiaudio]

It will only hurt the speakers if it is clipping to the point of square wave. The Metallica CD will not hurt your system if you play it back in the way you describe.

[Gump]

If there was ANYTHING that caused clipping noises to come out of my 803D's ( amp, source, CD, etc.) it would be on ebay tomorrow. Tooooo much money for me to roll the dice.
Even if I was assured by the "experts" that it was ok, everytime I heard that clipping sound come out of my speakers it would make me wince.

I simply couldn't enjoy it.

[kking168]

I stopped listening to the new Metallica...even the Guitar Hero rip has plenty of clipping/distortion. It's just too unsettling to hear those sounds coming out of the 803Ds; even though I really like the music itself, I just can't enjoy it anymore. Earlier today I listened to one of those B&W complimentary CDs you get when you register. Now that's how to produce a CD!

[Glen B]

I would assume that as long as you aren't actually clipping the amplifier or speaker and pushing either to a thermal limit you should be fine.

I agree :T. IMO, unintentional clipping distortion in source material is for the most part only unpleasant to listen to. We must remember that for decades now, clipping distortion has been deliberately used with amplified musical instruments, most notably electric guitars, to produce various sound effects that we have grown accustomed to and like. We have never looked on such distortion as being harmful.