I am designing an audio circuit that takes in line-level audio, amplifies the audio using an amplifier (most likely this 3.1w amp - http://www.ti.com/product/tpa6211a1#parametric) and outputs the amplified signal to a 1w nominal, 2w maximum speaker.
To ensure that I do not overload the speaker I have been recommended to implement soft clipping. So am looking for details on how to implement soft clipping. I prefer the solution to be analog rather than digital, as my signal path, including the amplifier are all analog.
Someone also suggested the best way to deal with protecting the speaker is to attenuate the signal. If this is a better solution, where do you do you attenuate. Before the line-level signal enters the amplifier or just after the amplified signal leaves the amplifier? And how much should I attenuate the signal (or at least what ranges)?
Questions:
- Soft Clipping or Attenuation?
- If Soft Clipping, then what does an analogue circuit look like?
- If Attenuation, where do I attenuate, before or after the amplifier? And by how much?