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Clipped signals will often be squarized, where third harmonics are contextual outliers in a
Fourier Transform. In the case of an expected sine wave, the presence of odd harmonics will often suggest the signal has been hard clipped. A “soft clip” will have a knee on both sides of the plateau, which
487:
Clipping in a circuit can be detected by comparing the original input signal with an output signal with adjustment for applied gain. For instance, if a circuit has 10 dB of applied gain, it can be tested for clipping by attenuating the output signal by 10 dB and comparing it to the input
330:
Many amplifier designers have incorporated circuits to prevent clipping. The simplest circuits act like a fast limiter, which engages about one decibel before the clipping point. A more complex circuit, called "soft-clip", has been used from the 1980s onward to limit the signal at the input stage.
105:
When an amplifier is pushed to create a signal with more power than its power supply can produce, it will amplify the signal only up to its maximum capacity, at which point the signal can be amplified no further. As the signal simply "cuts" or "clips" at the maximum capacity of the amplifier, the
343:
Complex hard-clipped signals cannot be restored to their original state because the information contained in the peaks that are clipped is completely lost. Soft-clipped signals can be restored to their original state to within a case-dependent tolerance because no part of the original signal is
331:
The soft-clip feature begins to engage prior to clipping, for instance starting at 10 dB below maximum output power. The output waveform retains a rounded characteristic even in the presence of an overload input signal as much as 10 dB higher than maximum specified.
248:) can change the phase relationship between spectral components of a signal in such a way as to create excessive peak outputs. The excessive peaks may become clipped even though the system can play any simple sine wave signals of the same level without clipping.
314:
The simplest way to avoid clipping is to reduce the signal level. Alternatively the system can be improved to support higher signal level without clipping. Some audiophiles will use amplifiers that are rated for power outputs over twice the speaker's ratings. A
363:
signal. While these reconstructions are only an approximation of the original, the subjective quality may be improved. Other methods include copying the signal directly from one stereo channel to another, as it may be the case that only one channel is clipped.
194:
In a transistorized amplifier with hard clipping, the gain of the transistor will be reducing (leading to nonlinear distortion) as the output current increases and the voltage across the transistor reduces close to the saturation voltage (for
344:
completely lost. In this case, the degree of information loss is proportional to the degree of compression caused by the clipping. Lightly clipped bandwidth-limited signals that are highly oversampled have the potential for perfect repair.
462:
An amplifier may limit its current output, or the input voltage, for a variety of reasons both intentional or not. Intentional limiting circuits would not be expected to come into effect in normal operation, but only when the output load
833:
339:
It is preferable to avoid clipping, but if a recording has clipped, and cannot be re-recorded, repair is an option. The goal of repair is to make up a plausible replacement for the clipped part of the signal.
467:
is too low or the input signal level is exceptionally high, for example. The result of this form of clipping might not create a flat top to the voltage waveform, but rather a flat top to the current waveform.
566:
for the supply voltage is 36 volts, and a safe operating design supply voltage is 30 volts; if this was supplied as a perfectly balanced +15V and -15V then the theoretical peak output for an ideal
488:
signal. The difference between the two signals can be used to illuminate clipping detection indicators and can be used to decrease the gain of a preceding circuit to manage clipping.
67:
is overdriven and attempts to deliver an output voltage or current beyond its maximum capability. Driving an amplifier into clipping may cause it to output power in excess of its
302:
to the maximum, 32767. Clipping is preferable to the alternative in digital systems—wrapping—which occurs if the digital processor is allowed to overflow, ignoring the
117:
Amplifiers have voltage, current and thermal limits. Clipping may occur due to limitations in the power supply or the output stage. Some amplifiers are able to deliver
538:
circuits. The limitation relative to the power supply voltage depends on the design of the circuit (especially the driver configuration) and the saturation voltage (V
563:
574:, 30V peak-to-peak), but a real-world opamp such as the 741 is likely to only be able to drive about 10 volts peak into loads above 2 kilohms, i.e. about 7.1V RMS).
583:
Possibly because a transistor is biased so its collector voltage is not half the supply voltage (or the "balanced" power supply rails aren't perfectly balanced).
444:
in a given amount of time, dependent on its size, temperature, and metals. The resulting fall-off in amplification with increasing output current results in
97:
even if it is inaudible. However, clipping is often used in music for artistic effect, particularly guitar-dominant genres like blues, rock, and metal.
451:
Amplifying devices may also have limits on their inputs, for example excessive base current to a bipolar transistor or excessive grid current to a
719:. In Douglas Self; Ben Duncan; Ian Sinclair; Richard Brice; John Linsley Hood; Andrew Singmin; Don Davis; Eugene Patronis; John Watkinson (eds.).
347:
Several methods can partially restore a clipped signal. Once the clipped portion is known, one can attempt partial recovery. One such method is
290:
integers, 32767 is the largest positive value that can be represented. If, during processing, the amplitude of the signal is doubled,
106:
signal is said to be "clipping". The extra signal which is beyond the capability of the amplifier is simply cut off, resulting in a
662:
286:, clipping occurs when the signal is restricted by the range of a chosen representation. For example, in a system using 16-bit
121:
without clipping for short durations before energy stored in the power supply is depleted or the amplifier begins to overheat.
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206:
Because the clipped waveform has more area underneath it than the smaller unclipped waveform, the amplifier produces more
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624:
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An amplifier may have an asymmetrical output swing and clipping may begin earlier on one half of the output waveform.
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The additional high frequency energy in the harmonics generated by an amplifier operating in clipping can damage the
367:
Several software solutions of varying results and methods exist to repair clipping: CrumplePop ClipRemover, MAGIX
306:
of the magnitude, and sometimes even the sign of the sample value, resulting in gross distortion of the signal.
199:), and so "full power" for the purposes of measuring distortion in amplifiers is usually taken as a few percent
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31:
591:
555:
584:
470:
A transformer (most commonly used between stages and at the output in tube equipment) will clip when its
360:
287:
186:
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does not have a quiescent DC output voltage set to half the supply voltage. For example, with a typical
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422:
828:
170:, and mostly even harmonics), resulting in harmonic distortion that is generally less objectionable.
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506:
283:
24:
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551:
384:
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their amplifiers (or insert a "fuzz box") to cause clipping in order to get a desired sound (see
691:
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source, or damage the amplifying device requiring a limiting circuit for protection; see below.
430:
716:
455:. Operating outside these limits can distort the input signal, if it comes from a high enough
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or a redesign of the circuit may alleviate this when it is caused by difficulties in driving
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can be used to dynamically bring the levels of the loud parts of a signal down (for example,
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8:
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In most cases, the distortion associated with clipping is unwanted, and is visible on an
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37:
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The peak-to-peak output of a solid-state transformerless amplifier is limited by the
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Spectrograph showing the odd-order harmonics of a sine wave pushed into hard clipping
156:
141:
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588:
571:
414:
295:
255:
75:
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will show the presence of several even overtones in the lower frequency spectrum.
19:
For shortening of voice snippets due to failures in voice activity detection, see
831:, "Amplifier clipping distortion indicator with adjustable supply dependence"
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291:
251:
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130:
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the switching frequency is more dominant in the ripple voltage and outside the
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to cause clipping that also contains some AC line frequency harmonics. In a
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46:
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values of, for instance, 32000 should become 64000, but instead cause an
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in the high-frequency range (as the clipped waveform comes closer to a
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In audio amplifiers using unregulated linear power supplies, if the
79:
57:
383:, Thimeo Stereo Tool, declipping solutions from CEDAR Audio, and
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316:
234:
163:, in that vacuum tubes clip more gradually than transistors (i.e.
87:
20:
86:). The extra high-frequency weighting of the signal could make
178:
756:(3). Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics: 906–931.
270:
244:
Clipping can occur within a system as processing (e.g. an
182:
Difference between clipped and maximum unclipped waveforms
399:
audio equipment, there are several causes of clipping:
90:
damage more likely than if the signal was not clipped.
743:
663:"Why Should We Care About Power Amplifier Clipping?"
617:
Vacuum Tube and Guitar and Bass
Amplifier Servicing
355:of known samples. Advanced implementations may use
683:
845:
744:Donoho, David L.; Philip B. Stark (June 1989).
660:
334:
254:frequently and intentionally overdrive their
746:"Uncertainty principles and signal recovery"
214:) output when it is clipping. This extra
222:. It may cause damage to the amplifier's
417:is not large enough, it is possible for
269:
185:
177:
36:
30:For broader coverage of this topic, see
686:High Performance Audio Power Amplifiers
614:
49:indicate the signal has been "clipped."
846:
714:
681:
639:
151:believe that the clipping behavior of
41:The altered peaks and troughs of the
723:. Vol. 1. Newnes. p. 278.
309:
750:SIAM Journal on Applied Mathematics
265:
13:
440:can only move a limited number of
14:
870:
262:in order to get a desired sound.
821:
577:
433:the ripple voltage is rejected.
800:
776:
737:
721:Audio Engineering: Know It All
708:
675:
654:
633:
608:
570:would be 15 Volts peak (10.6V
554:), and further reduced if the
524:
1:
661:Chuck McGregor (2017-08-24).
601:
476:electromagnetically saturated
717:"Interfacing and Processing"
619:. Bold Strummer. p. 6.
482:
258:to cause clipping and other
32:Clipping (signal processing)
7:
859:Sound production technology
495:
361:continuously differentiable
100:
78:, clipping produces strong
16:Form of waveform distortion
10:
875:
423:switched-mode power supply
387:plugins such as Clip Fix.
335:Repairing a clipped signal
173:
29:
18:
642:"Clipping tweeter damage"
507:Dynamic range compression
390:
284:digital signal processing
552:Field Effect Transistors
517:
359:to attempt to restore a
124:
25:voice activity detection
564:Absolute Maximum Rating
159:is superior to that of
45:form displayed on this
615:Zottola, Tino (1996).
431:regulated power supply
279:
191:
183:
50:
784:"Acon Digital DeClip"
560:operational amplifier
502:Clipper (electronics)
304:most significant bits
273:
189:
181:
110:becoming a distorted
40:
715:Duncan, Ben (2009).
682:Duncan, Ben (1996).
63:that occurs when an
690:. Newnes. pp.
544:bipolar transistors
530:This includes most
379:Restoration Suite,
252:Electric guitarists
197:bipolar transistors
568:rail-to-rail opamp
532:integrated circuit
280:
192:
184:
155:with little or no
51:
854:Audio engineering
310:Avoiding clipping
256:guitar amplifiers
241:via overheating.
226:or simply blow a
157:negative feedback
142:guitar distortion
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415:filter capacitor
296:integer overflow
266:Digital clipping
210:than its rated (
114:-type waveform.
76:frequency domain
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246:all-pass filter
237:in a connected
218:can damage the
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131:electric guitar
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419:ripple voltage
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381:Adobe Audition
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136:intentionally
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810:. CEDAR Audio
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730:9780080949642
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626:0-933224-97-4
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592:output stages
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585:Bootstrapping
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534:and discrete
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474:core becomes
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472:ferromagnetic
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446:soft clipping
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357:cubic splines
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353:extrapolation
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349:interpolation
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56:is a form of
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26:
22:
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812:. Retrieved
802:
791:. Retrieved
788:Acon Digital
787:
778:
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749:
739:
720:
710:
685:
677:
666:. Retrieved
656:
645:. Retrieved
640:Jim Lesurf.
635:
616:
610:
579:
556:output stage
526:
490:
486:
445:
405:power supply
394:
377:Acon Digital
375:RX De-Clip,
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329:
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281:
250:
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232:
224:power supply
205:
200:
193:
165:
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153:vacuum tubes
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128:
116:
104:
95:oscilloscope
92:
73:
69:power rating
53:
52:
47:oscilloscope
536:solid state
453:vacuum tube
438:vacuum tube
429:while in a
369:Sound Forge
325:snare drums
239:loudspeaker
220:loudspeaker
161:transistors
149:audiophiles
112:square-wave
848:Categories
829:US 5430409
814:2018-09-13
793:2022-12-13
668:2018-03-05
647:2018-03-05
602:References
512:Tube sound
465:resistance
427:audio band
260:distortion
203:clipping.
119:peak power
84:squarewave
61:distortion
770:0036-1399
483:Detection
457:impedance
442:electrons
212:sine wave
138:overdrive
108:sine wave
80:harmonics
65:amplifier
43:sine wave
808:"Declip"
496:See also
407:voltage.
385:Audacity
300:saturate
278:waveform
274:Clipped
168:clipping
101:Overview
58:waveform
54:Clipping
540:ce(sat)
373:iZotope
317:limiter
235:tweeter
174:Effects
134:players
88:tweeter
74:In the
21:squelch
835:
768:
727:
698:
623:
548:ds(on)
546:, or R
397:analog
391:Causes
292:sample
288:signed
694:–80.
518:Notes
216:power
208:power
201:below
147:Some
129:Many
125:Sound
766:ISSN
725:ISBN
696:ISBN
621:ISBN
562:the
550:for
542:for
323:and
321:bass
298:and
228:fuse
166:soft
144:).
23:and
758:doi
572:RMS
395:In
351:or
327:).
282:In
850::
786:.
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752:.
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692:79
436:A
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817:.
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27:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
