KSTR
Major Contributor
It's a pity that commercial HiFi amps seldom have full featured clipping indicators (with both voltage and current clipping detected). Smaller amps on low sensivity speakers clip in practice more often than not, and to avoid questions and support manufacturers tend to omit clipping indicators.
Soft (voltage) clippers ahead of hard-clipping amp cores are not very much in fashion, too, I suspect this is governed by the problem that a soft-clipper lowers 1% and 0.1% THD power specs and compromises measured THD vs. power curve, even though the amp may well sound actually "louder and cleaner" when on the edge. Plus, detectors and soft-clippers (let alone protective limiters) add to complexity and BOM cost.
And @pma, wow, brillant overdrive characteristic of this amplifier of yours!
Soft (voltage) clippers ahead of hard-clipping amp cores are not very much in fashion, too, I suspect this is governed by the problem that a soft-clipper lowers 1% and 0.1% THD power specs and compromises measured THD vs. power curve, even though the amp may well sound actually "louder and cleaner" when on the edge. Plus, detectors and soft-clippers (let alone protective limiters) add to complexity and BOM cost.
And @pma, wow, brillant overdrive characteristic of this amplifier of yours!