Soft clipping acceptable?

[Jeb-D.]

Just curious, on opinions and experiences of those in here.

Since the audio signals usually have occasional peaks that are considerably taller then the majority of the audio signal. Would it be a bad idea to design an amp for the main audio portion and just let those occasional peaks clip when at full volume? I know in SS amps it's not acceptable, but since tubes clip soft, would it be audible and or acceptable? This would allow much more "volume" out of an amp rated at the same peak power.

[darkfenriz]

This soft clipping effect is sometimes desired, in recording studios or guitar amplification, but it will be distortion which will audibly change the 'timbre' of music, especially complicated symphonic stuff. Some like it, some don't.
Why do you want distortion if you can have clear signal?

[phn]

Class A/B is the easiest way to avoid clipping, as far as I understand.

10 W Class A means 10 W. A 10 W Class A/B amp can produce as much as 100 W or more in short bursts.

[Tweeker]

A 10 watt class A/B amp can produce 10 watts, by definition. Some class A/B amps may, for example, produce 10 watts in "class A" before transitioning through class A/B and ultimately clipping at say 30 watts or what have you.

That said, a given set of gain devices will produce much more power in class A/B before reaching dissipation limits than in class A, where the amp is working hardest when its at idle.

[lndm]

Jeb-D,
I think what you're suggesting is a version of the truth, but I think it needs to be qualified that many valve amplifiers are low in power and it's just fortunate that they play as well as they do. i.e. if I had to build a low power amp, I couldn't think of a better way to do it, if you catch my drift.

So, when I run a hard clipping amp up to clipping, I back it off end of story. It is unpleasant to listen to otherwise. If I run a soft clipping amp up to the point of clipping I don't back off, I just stop going further

[Tweeker]

Another big factor; how well does the amp recover from the clipping?

[tubelab.com]

Every amp sounds different when it hits clipping, even tube amps. When I am testing an amp I often have a scope connected across the speakers. An amp that uses no (or small amounts) of global feedback, that has good overload recovery characteristics, can often be pushed well into clipping without hearing it. This can be verified on the scope.

Some tube (and SS) amps will distort for a period of time after the transient has passed. Even a small amount of clipping will be heard on such an amp.