Exactly. If you run at normal levels with (say) a 50W amp only a small amount of the power is in the frequency range which gets through the crossover into the tweeter.

If you take that same 50W amp and drive it into hard clipping, the flat top and sharp edges of the resulting signal drive relatively more of the power into the high frequency ranges (that "kazoo" sound) and so you can easily get MORE power into the tweeter with a clipping 50W amp than you can with a non-clipping 100W or 200W amp.

The big issue is that if you have a 500W amp and turn it up to the point where tweeter damage could occur it's going to be REALLY FREAKIN' LOUD but if you have a 50W amp and drive it into clipping you can fry your tweeters but the overall sound is not going to be that loud.

That's the problem with a small amp. You turn it up... it's not loud enough... you turn it up more... it doesn't seem to be getting any louder... you turn it back down a bit... and the next day you notice that one of your tweeters isn't working.


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