Powered Speakers clipping, passive not

Generally speaking you should aim for a 0dB level path all the way to either the amp of your passive speakers or your powered speaker inputs. So starting with channel gain/trim at 0dB, then master up so the master output is 0dB (average, it can peak to the next light = typically +3dB) as well. You now have a 0dB output signal to your amps/speakers. This will be your max setting for the night with the channel fader fully up and the master fader/knob at the setting you just made (be sure to mark it with a bit of white gaffa tape or something). At this point you are 100% certain that when you run the loudest level you will all night your amps will get an undistorted 0dB signal offered. Clearly you will want to run balanced cables everywhere. Now set your amps to their 0dB levels (or at least so they stay just below clipping) and mark this position as well. This is as loud as your amps should go. Do the same with the level knobs on the powered speakers. Those don’t usually have meters on them, so just turn them up til the clipping light starts to come on occassionally and then tune it down a notch.

At this point your entire sound chain is running at max. continuous power output. Anything over this will push you into the red and into distortion. Not loud enough? Then you need a bigger system.

Now you can use the master fader/knob to turn things down at the beginning at the evening and slowly raise it as needed until you hit the max. mark and then it’s done.

Hope that helps some.

One thing I know about many AA speakers is they also have mic inputs. Could it be you accidentally used those? The line level difference is rather large and the signal passes through the mic pre-amp before being offered to the built-in amp and could very well cause the behavior you mention.

How about just daisy-chaining your signal (your amp probably has a line out as well as a line in) for testing purposes. This guarantees that both get an identical signal.