Quote:

Let me be perfectly clear; the amplifier will not inhibit into 3-4 ohm loads unless the soft limiter is sensing significant levels of distortion. It doesn't shut the amplifier down "for no good reason". If you are driving your amplifier into a four ohm load and it inhibits, it is because the soft limiter has been driven to the point it sees you have exceed a preset output volt/amp threshold that we have set. Under these circumstances, the amplifier is being driven into pretty hard clip. You don't hear it as such because the soft limiter is doing its job. It is reducing the hard edge clipped waveform into something more benign. But, when you listen to the amplifier under this condition, you can clearly hear the change as the amplifier sound appears to soften and dynamics are affected. This is intentional and was designed to keep you and your speakers safe and sound. Our goal was to make a better product; for some people, this is seen as a negative attribute. One reviewer thought the amplifier didn't make enough power; we explained to him our thinking behind the limiter and he didn't get it. He felt is made the amplifier seem less potent than it really is. Our desire to build a cool feature into the amp may have backfired on us with some people. I guess you can't please everyone!



This is not how a waveform limiter works. A waveform limiter reduces the gain in order to maintain stability. It does not at all affect dynamics. From the description above, Emo does not employ a waveform limiter but rather a soft clipper...hence the effect on reduced dynamics as the peaks get soft-clipped. And I understand the struggle they have with such a feature. They should have made this feature configurable and provided a very well-written description in their manual. I guess this is an opportunity for improvement. Frankly, I don't think the designers implemented what the product champion(s) originally envisioned and the champions are finding out now at a late stage.

Quote:

To address your comments about SPL's measurements and your displeasure over only being able to reach SPL's in the low 100+dB range at 12 feet in your room, as measured by your RS meter; this is not a scientific method of determining real power output. The RS meter is not a peak reading meter and its VU metering ballistics are suspect. Your measurements are low by at least 6-10dB. Also, at 100+ dB the microphone in the in the meter is compressing which adds to measurement errors. The problems with this test methodology go on and on.

Also, hanging a DVM across the speakers while playing music is not going to provide meaningful data either. I don't want to go into a long technical dissertation as to the problems with this measurement technique, but please trust me, your approach is not correct.



I don't disagree with the underlying message which is "Be aware of the inherent limitations of your measuring set-up and apparatus". I don't have a RS meter but I do have full confidence in my SPL meter to within a dB for frequencies between 200 Hz to 8 KHz and up to 125 dB. I have this confidence because I have verified a number of frequencies within this range and SPL against my buddy's $1.5K SPL meter. And yes, he's also right about the DVM as we've previously discussed. Randy, you have more work to do in this regard (should you choose to walk down this scary path ). In my mind, the verdict is still out as to whether or not you are sourcing 300W from the amp. But, look at the facts to date. You are telling us that you are achieving 100 dB with 10W. Look at what I posted. Granted, our rooms are different and I used a test tone and your RS meter may be wrong (which it might be but I would bet only by a dB). But, it's a place to start. If I had to put money down right now, I'd say you are nowhere close to 300W when you are shutting down at 106 dB.

Quote:

In any event, it will eliminate you major complaint.



Will it? I thought other listeners are experiencing shut-down with the clipper removed. They could be playing at absolutely ridiculous levels and over-heating the unit.

BTW, I still don't understand how they claim to be sourcing 700WRMS on the output with a 350VA toroid.