How to detect clipping

[thinkingHT]

I don't think I have ever experienced severe clipping in my setup, mostly because I dont really push the volume up to insane levels. But I am curious, as I have heard some anomalies in some tracks in a few CDs. I get the odd crackle or pop from the speakers at levels I would consider to be acceptable for a few hours of listening (far lower volumes than you would get in a movie theatre for instance). This happens at consistently the same time on the same track on the same CD, intresting thing is it doesn't seem to get worse as I increase volume. So these anomalies...are they caused by clipping or are some of the tracks on the CDs just badly recordered?

 

[jaxvon]

Usually harsh treble is a sign of a clipping amplifier. If you're hearing a pop or crackle at the same place in the same track on the same CD, then its an anomaly in the recording. If your CD was originally recorded on an Analog tape, it might be where a piece of tape was spliced. You can hear anomalies like this on the Steely Dan album Aja. Listen to Track 5 (I've Got the News). The pop, or whatever you wanna call it from 2:19 to 2:21. This isn't your speakers, or your receiver, it's just noise from the original master tape that has been passed through.

 

[thinkingHT]

Ahh... yes, I have noticed treble getting harsh on a few ocassions on certain tracks, I will have to play around with a bigger amp to make sure or turn down the volume .

 

[annunaki]

On newer music, that is digitally recorded, it may actually be the recording that is clipping. Many newer recordings have the levels peaked so high the recording itself clips. This will not damage your equipment at normal listening levels, so it is not a big worry. Although, the sopund quality of the cd, and dynamic range suffer dramatically. It is sad that we, as purchasers of the music, have to deal with inferior quality.

 

[thinkingHT]

After going through a few CDs, I noticed harshness that did not improve at lower volumes, so clearly the tracks on the CDs that are just poorly recorded. I listen mainly to ambient/chillout/new age type music and have noticed clipping on a few Classic Chillout CDs. The most well recorded CD I have now i believe is Cafe Del Mar Vol Doce, however even that is not perfect, I don't think I have heard it clip, but there are one or two anomalies which are acceptable. Clipping on the other hand sounds really bad and I can't believe recording studios allow that to happen.

 

[markw]

One thing to keep in mind about clipping.

It's extrremely volume sensitive. If you turn it down, it should go away. If it doesn't, then it's most likely in the source.

 

[annunaki]

. Clipping on the other hand sounds really bad and I can't believe recording studios allow that to happen.

You better believe it. Many producers are trying to put out the "hottest" album possible, meaning it is louder 'to the ear' than the next guy's. In doing this, they have ruined the 'feel' (dynamics) of the music. It is actually harder to 'get into the music' as everything (instruments, and what are supposed to be subtleties) is at the same volume and comes through more as noise than melody and music. It stinks!

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

You better believe it. Many producers are trying to put out the "hottest" album possible, meaning it is louder 'to the ear' than the next guy's. In doing this, they have ruined the 'feel' (dynamics) of the music. It is actually harder to 'get into the music' as everything (instruments, and what are supposed to be subtleties) is at the same volume and comes through more as noise than melody and music. It stinks!

It's so true. How many of you used to do your own recordings from the turn table to tape or cd to tape? Remember the old VU, LED, or LCD meters? You'd just want them touching the red, but not much further. Two to three bars in the red, all you heard was distortion. It didn't matter the volume, it just distorted something terrible. I'd take an average sounding cd, put an eq between the cd player/tape player and receiver, and make a better sounding tape. Of course, you had to use the TDK SA-X90 or MA-X90's, and play them through the Nak Dragon. Archaic, but fun nonetheless.

 

[Elvis Rotten]

checking for and getting rid of clipping

If you download Audacity you can import any audio track that has clipping and get rid of the clipping by reducing the audio level of that track.

 

[Cygnus]

Lowering the dB level in a track that has clipping in it won't get rid of the clipping. Think of the clipping as an instrument. It's there on the recording, and the only way to get rid of it, would be to do some de-clicking, and even that can yield less-than-satisfactory results.

 

[M Code]

Clipping is overload distortion..
But it may come from any of the following:

• Original source recording
• Player output section is clipping
• Preamp input section is clipping
• Amplifier section is clipping

The most common type of clipping is the amplifier section..
Due to:

• Loudspeaker has low impedance/sensitivity specs
• Voume level set too high
• Dynamic range of the source is higher than what preamp/amplifier can handle
• Listening room is large
• Amplifier is underpowered

Whatever the reason..
Address it promptly or else costly damage to the loudspeakers will likely result..

Just my $0.02...

 

[Elvis Rotten]

clipping

As was said earlier, the db level on alot of newer CDs are way to high. One of the causes of clipping is to high of a db level. This overly high db level pushes the chips in the amplifier way past their capacity, hence clipping. So I can't see how lowering the db level would not help.

 

[mtrycrafts]

If you download Audacity you can import any audio track that has clipping and get rid of the clipping by reducing the audio level of that track.

Perhaps you noticed that the original post was back in 2005?