clipping instead of limiting the mix

WildCowboys · 2nd December 2003, 11:11 PM

Hello all,
I have found since a couple of years that many albums are mastered in a way that the peaks of the kick and snare are clipped instead of limited, but it does not really sound bad, it can sound very punchy indeed. Now I was wondering how the mastering engineers do this to make it sound ok - I have done a quick test, just going 1-2dB over the top digitally, but it always resulted in audible, screetchy distortion.
An example of what I mean can be found on a disc like Brian McKnight´s latest album "U Turn", track 2 (and a billion others I guess...). Clearly clipped, but the kick still remains round and punchy. Does anybody know how this is supposed to be done right? Gear? Technique?
Rock on,
Pat

jazzius II · 2nd December 2003, 11:27 PM

It depends on the mix....if the kick/snare are popping out above the rest of the music with fairly short transients, then these can be clipped pretty inaudibly......the longer the clip, the more likely you are to hear it and that it sounds bad.........with some styles like rap, i might be happier to clip it on the way in to the A/D then to use the L2 later, 'cause, like you said, it can retain more punch......but let's be honest, it doesn't actually make it sound better.....only louder........with one caveat......clipping off those transients might mean it can be played louder without the speaker going "splatt".......but i really wouldn't try to clip anything lower then the snare/kick......this just sounds plain shitty.....

Bob Olhsson · 3rd December 2003, 05:19 AM

If it ever actually gets on the air, clipping can make it play several dB lower in volume because of the pre-emphasis.

Magnus · 3rd December 2003, 01:57 PM

Quote:

If it ever actually gets on the air, clipping can make it play several dB lower in volume because of the pre-emphasis.

Hi Bob,

can you please explain this a little further since I'm not really sure what you mean?

Thanks,
Magnus

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2nd December 2003, 11:11 PM	#1
WildCowboys Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: VIE Posts: 1,072	clipping instead of limiting the mix Hello all, I have found since a couple of years that many albums are mastered in a way that the peaks of the kick and snare are clipped instead of limited, but it does not really sound bad, it can sound very punchy indeed. Now I was wondering how the mastering engineers do this to make it sound ok - I have done a quick test, just going 1-2dB over the top digitally, but it always resulted in audible, screetchy distortion. An example of what I mean can be found on a disc like Brian McKnight´s latest album "U Turn", track 2 (and a billion others I guess...). Clearly clipped, but the kick still remains round and punchy. Does anybody know how this is supposed to be done right? Gear? Technique? Rock on, Pat

3rd December 2003, 05:19 AM	#3
Bob Olhsson Motown legend Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Songwriter Gulch, Nashville TN Posts: 5,248	If it ever actually gets on the air, clipping can make it play several dB lower in volume because of the pre-emphasis. __________________ Georgetown Masters 615 254-3233 Bob's room 615 385-8051 Music Industry 2.0

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2nd December 2003, 11:27 PM	#2
jazzius II Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,005	It depends on the mix....if the kick/snare are popping out above the rest of the music with fairly short transients, then these can be clipped pretty inaudibly......the longer the clip, the more likely you are to hear it and that it sounds bad.........with some styles like rap, i might be happier to clip it on the way in to the A/D then to use the L2 later, 'cause, like you said, it can retain more punch......but let's be honest, it doesn't actually make it sound better.....only louder........with one caveat......clipping off those transients might mean it can be played louder without the speaker going "splatt".......but i really wouldn't try to clip anything lower then the snare/kick......this just sounds plain shitty.....