I'll take an amateur crack at that.

Clipping is what happens when you overload
the amplifier and lose a considerable amount
of the signal as well as create distortion.
The phrase comes from what a sine wave looks like on an oscilliscope under those conditions. Instead of a symmetrical wavy line, you have a wavy line with flattened or "clipped" peaks.

Headroom usually refers to the amount of power or WATTs you have between your listening level and the peak abilities of the amplifier before you create distortion and/or clipping.

Most amplified music in home conditions is played at under 15 watts per channel unless you are listening to Molly Hatchet and ear rending levels. So..
If you are listening to Molly at 15 wpc, on a 1050 you have about 45 or so watts of headroom. Turn it up, I can't hear it!


eddyboy

[This message has been edited by eddyboy (edited July 17, 2002).]