Clipping visually not displayed

Sometimes it’s preliminary difficult to determine correct recording level of old audio cassettes.
Because during timer recording adjusting recording signal level is disabled there is no other way but to check clipping visually when recording has been ended. Why clipping isn’t in red color as I expected by attached screenshot?
audacity_clipping1.PNG

Perhaps you need to check View > Show Clipping

“Red” actually means potential clipping and it can be wrong either way!

It’s not looking at the wave shape… If you have multiple samples in a row at, or above, 0dB (=1.0, =100%) it will show red.

If you have clipping and it is showing red, you can “hide” the clipping by reducing the level (using a negative value in the Amplify effect).

Or if the waveform isn’t clipped and you Amplify (while allowing clipping) or if you boost the bass, etc., you can push the levels over 0dB and you’ll see red, but since Audacity uses floating-point and it has no upper limit, it won’t actually be clipped (yet). If you export-as a regular (integer) WAV file it will be clipped. or if you play it at “full digital volume” your DAC will clip when you play it. But the actual waveform isn’t clipped and if you reduce the volume before exporting there will be no clipping.

Your analog-to-digital converter will clip at exactly 0dB so if you see red immediately after recording, the clipping is real.

P.S.

With your set-up is it possible to reduce the analog recording level (before it hits the analog-to-digital converter)?

We generally recommend shooting-for -3 to -6dB peaks, or more if you are recording “live” where the levels are more unpredictable. The idea is to leave plenty of headroom so you never clip your ADC. Digital recording levels aren’t that critical as long as you avoid clipping. Pros typically record a lot lower. There is no issue with low digital recording levels unless you are very-low because you can always boost after recording.

…If you’re old enough to remember recording with analog tape, you wanted a “hot” signal to overcome tape hiss… But with digital - No tape noise! Also, tape tends to soft-clip when you go over 0dB and the record-playback equalization further “softens” the clipping and it wasn’t unusual to go occasionally “into the red”. But digital is absolutely limited to 0dB and your ADC will hard-clip if you “try” to go over.

Thanks for replies.
I have set View menus show clipping on.
Digitizing old cassettes I wish to convert audio at maximum level without clipping.
During 48 min timer recording changing recording level is disabled by Audacity design.
So if Audacity exceeding max level 0 dB is not visible on level indicator at first minutes I record whole cassette side.

Next I’d like to check if any (or how many and where) clipping has occurred during this 48 minutes recording but clipping peaks don’t show in red and are difficult to locate manually. (and when needed to adjust recording level then re-record whole cassette side)

Neither analyse menu “find clipping” plug in can’t find limited peaks like one of many, on my uploaded screenshot.
I think that on my screenshot there is a typical cut off peak or am I wrong?

BTW - Thanks for posting the image or we’d be going-around in circles. :wink:

Digitizing old cassettes I wish to convert audio at maximum level without clipping.

Bad plan!!! Leave headroom and run the Amplify or Normalize effect later to maximize the volume.

I think that on my screenshot there is a typical cut off peak or am I wrong?

Yes, that looks like clipping but it’s probably something on the analog side clipping just-before you get digital clipping. …Maybe a “cheap soundcard” or maybe the output of your cassette player is clipping. Ether way, lowering the recording level a little should prevent the distortion.

What happens if you TRY to get clipping? Do you “see red” in the waveform? If the analog clips before the ADC clips you’ll never see red. Or, it’s possible that the positive peaks are clipped by the analog hardware (like what we’re seeing) but negative peaks are only clipped by the ADC.

I assume you do see red if you run the Amplify effect, allow clipping, and boost by +3dB or so? …Just making sure Audacity is behaving as-expected.

Thanks, somehow I considered normalize function as flattening sound levels of all track. But I’ll check this function. And if it’s worth extra time in this 90’s German radio station archiving project.

I think that on my screenshot there is a typical cut off peak or am I wrong?> Yes, that looks like clipping > but it’s probably something on the analog side clipping just-before you get digital clipping. …Maybe a “cheap soundcard” or maybe the output of your cassette player is clipping. Ether way, lowering the recording level a little should prevent the distortion.

This clipping screenshot is result of setting Audacity recording level too high. Different cassette’s sound level varies 5-10 dB and I start recording without preliminary check and restart when level fix is required. My thread initial problem was that I couldn’t see visually if and where clipping occurred.
Attached screenshot Audacity peak meter was close to 0 dB and obviously crossed it few times.
I’m not sure how to understand that this can be audio card limiting?