Track shows clipping but Analyze-Find Clipping does not find any

[Helmut]

Hi,

I’m recording from an external (reliable) source using loopback and WASAPI. The track shows (very) few red bars but if I go to Analyze…Find Clipping, Audacity 3.3.3 does not show any clipping.

Why?

Thank you!

[DVDdoug]

They use different algorithms.

One sample at or above 0dB will trigger “show clipping”. You can have a sine wave that touches 0dB without going-over or clipping.

“Find clipping” normally looks for multiple 0dB (or over) samples in-a-row, and there are settings you can change.

Neither algorithm is looking at the wave shape that wouldn’t be 100% reliable either because you could have a square wave or a squared-off wave.

[Helmut]

OK, I checked the details, it’s always only 1 sample.

Thank you!