I think we may have confused you. The answer to your questions as follows:
Clipping - clipping is the result of the amplifier power supply not able to supply the transistors enough voltage to continue to produce accurate output. The transistors become " Voltage Limited" and the result is distortion of the output waveform. Typically this is in the high frequency range, and will damage tweeters, which are designed to produce high frequencies of limited and instantaneous energy levels. Instantaneous means that if you keep it up, smoke will get in your eyes! Clipping produces sound that is edgy, terrible to listen to, and very bright with sharp harmonics.
This can also happen to tube amps, but they are designed with very heavy duty power supplies(because tubes by nature require this to operate), and the sound becomes "Compressed". This is a phenomena that some musicians like, and devices to mimic tube amp compression are made for them ("Fuzz Boxes")
Clipping can be dangerous to both the speakers and the amps output stages and power supplies.
So, to your question about purchasing....the answer is still dependant on how hard you drive the amp. A high quality, low power amp can, and will still clip. The high power mass market amp will also clip, but may not clip BEFORE the hi/lo amp would because it is producing poor quality sound that is not clipping. This is because the amp produces garbage sound because of design constraints, but it has not exceeded the power supplies capabilities. The one guarentee is that the actual sound quality and dynamics will be better with the hi/lo amp than the lo/hi amp.
You may need to evaluate the levels you listen to music. A good quality amp should have a rugged power supply, quality output stages, and enough power that you are not going to have to turn it to the maximum volume level to get suitable output.
Sorry for the long winded reply......
Regards,
BBIBH
