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Posted by djsphere on Dec-27-2008 08:34:

Reason Audio Out Clip

I got this project that does not clip in reason but after i export it to .wav and and run through a wave editor or a spectrum/amplitude analyzer it goes beyond 0 dB.

Which one isn't accurate?

Ah...i forgot to mention that i'm using a MClass Maximizer before the hardware interface which has soft clip and limiter functions on.

Posted by Darkarbiter on Dec-27-2008 08:51:

... can you hear any actual clipping?

The soft clipper doesn't let it clip at the end without turning on the light, it just uses clipping as distortion (although a ton less hard then the actual digital clipoff you get at the end of the chain in reason if everything is too loud though).

Posted by djsphere on Dec-27-2008 09:08:

i can't hear anything wrong with the sound.

on the analyzer the peak level goes at +0.5 dB but in reason it does not clip.

Posted by djsphere on Dec-27-2008 09:13:

i sort it out....the analyzer is wrong.

i loaded a track i downloaded from beatport and it's at +1.6dB.
i assume that released tracks are mastered properly so it must be bellow 0dB.

Posted by Darkarbiter on Dec-27-2008 11:13:

Isn't fully at the top i.e. maximum for a 16 bit 44.1k wave file (i.e. cd/standard for everything inc mp3) like +2db?

Posted by djsphere on Dec-27-2008 12:13:

quote:
Originally posted by Darkarbiter
Isn't fully at the top i.e. maximum for a 16 bit 44.1k wave file (i.e. cd/standard for everything inc mp3) like +2db?

i don't know....i thought it is 0dB

Posted by derail on Dec-27-2008 22:03:

quote:
Originally posted by Darkarbiter
Isn't fully at the top i.e. maximum for a 16 bit 44.1k wave file (i.e. cd/standard for everything inc mp3) like +2db?

The maximum output level for digital audio is 0dB. But as djsphere has found, some tools will display things differently (maybe to get us to turn our levels down and restore some dynamic range to music?)

Posted by Darkarbiter on Dec-28-2008 01:52:

Well I'm wondering how its actually at all possible to have above 0db then?

Posted by MrJiveBoJingles on Dec-28-2008 01:57:

quote:
Originally posted by Darkarbiter
Well I'm wondering how its actually at all possible to have above 0db then?

You can't. 0dB is the maximum for any digital medium. Anything higher than that will clip and distort.

Posted by MrJiveBoJingles on Dec-28-2008 01:58:

The graphical representation of "greater than 0dB" may be just a quirk of the math used to calculate the frequency plot...

Posted by Zak McKracken on Dec-28-2008 13:25:

if the red LED down left in reasons transport bar doesnt blink i believe u are safe.

Posted by derail on Dec-28-2008 22:29:

quote:
Originally posted by palm
if the red LED down left in reasons transport bar doesnt blink i believe u are safe.

Yes, if the main clipping light doesn't come on at all, then the audio won't have any extra clipping applied to it on export.

Of course, you could use some maximizers to heavily clip your music before that stage. Once the waveform has been squared off you can't get it back, even if you then drop the level. So the dB meter may say -6dB, but the music is still clipped.

In any case, use your ears. Digital clipping sounds horrible.

Posted by Zak McKracken on Dec-28-2008 23:43:

after analyzing reasons export in reaper it shows that when the red led is not blinking the max level is -0.2dB.