ops, i made mistake again in my statement. yes, speakers will be fried if amp is allowed to clip for an extended period. so the statement should read like this: "the amp won't fry the speakers under normal circumstances, even when it clips for a short period". and i would like to add this - "if this happen - frying speaker's voice coil within a short period of amp clipping, then quality of the amp or/and the speaker is very questionable!"
regarding EQ, in my opinion, changes made to the original signal is EQing. probably using avtive electronic EQ adds complication but in a pasive x-over, when one uses resistor to achieve -6db result is also considered EQing. it is just that the -6db is affecting the whole frequency range of the x-over frequency (say hi pass at 2KHz then -6db from 2KHz all the way to 20KHz) while active EQ allows us to choose specific frequency. IMHO, in ICE, one needs to do EQ and make changes to the frequency response so that the desired result, i.e. tonal balance, can be achieved as the designers of the speakers (x-over) or/and amps do not know the environment, i.e. the car. hence, ICE sound tuning is so important.
however, i agree with you that adding one single extra element in the chain of an audio system will deteriorate, to certain extend, the quality of the sound. and it is not suprised that you hear real and natural sound when EQT is removed and your installer must have done a very good job. we can do tuning without an active EQ but with the limitation on time, money, relatively lower quality components, and relatively inexperienced and impatient installers and owners, active EQ may be the solution.
just my opinion.
