In other words, 0dB is the maximum volume your DAW can produce. 0sB stands for the maximum amount of information that your DAW can handle in a bit. In simple terms, the dynamic range of digital audio doesn’t stretch upwards but downwards. If we use the same dB scale of analog gear, shouldn’t 0dB be silent? You might have noticed that the maximum volume level after which a DAW starts to clip is 0db. With digital clipping, it’s a little different. Most analog equipment has an output limit of 24dBFS. Devices on both mediums have voltage or volume limits, after which they stop functioning properly.Īnalog clipping happens at any point of the analog audio chain, like the microphone, pre-amp, amplifier, analog-to-digital converter, etc.Īnalog clipping occurs when a piece of equipment attempts to output a higher voltage than it’s designed to. Now that you know the basics of how clipping works and when it’s an issue, it will be easier to identify it in your audio.Ĭlipping can be either digital or analog. However, of course, if you’re worried about your audio clipping, chances are there’s nothing intentional about it. In this context, clipping can be used to reduce the peaks of a song in an often inaudible way. When you apply a compressor or adjust the tracks to get a certain level of loudness, some conscious clipping can occur. The sound starts clipping immediately after going over the maximum volume limit.Ĭombining and adjusting clipping in different ways can create harmonic distortions that can enhance how a song sounds.Ĭlipping can also be a normal result of mixing audio. The sound breaks up gradually as the volume increases. Meanwhile, clipping happens to the entire song and has an unpleasant sound.ĭistortion pedals and plugins rely on clipping to create their pleasant effects. The difference is that musical distortions are intentional, and they only affect specific tracks in a controlled way. The distorted sound of a rock guitar is produced in basically the same way. In fact, it’s used in music all the time to create a specific sound. Distortion isn’t necessarily a bad thing. What’s happening is a kind of audio distortion. They prevent the system from clipping, but the audio quality will still suffer. ![]() ![]() To avoid this, many speakers have built-in circuits that act as soft limiters. ![]() That’s where the clipping occurs.Īudio clipping can damage the tweeters in your sound speakers if the volume is too high or the clipping happens for an extended period. The result is a soundwave that looks blocky, with hard lines at the top and the bottom. When volume goes beyond what a system can handle, it’s as if the high and low peaks of the wave hit walls on each side. The undulations are supposed to go up and down smoothly. It sounds like a buzzing noise, and it’s usually undesirable. Prevent Clipping With Proper Gain StagingĪudio clipping happens when an audio signal is amplified past the allowed volume meter of a medium, be it a pair of speakers or a computer program.
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