1 Topic by bitfidelity (edited by bitfidelity 2019-08-20 02:58:14)

  • Registered: 2019-05-21
  • Posts: 22

Topic: Level Meter: Does Red Always Mean Clipping?

The horizontal stereo level meter below the Analyzer can show the peak level before all DSP processing (Pre, equals the current input level from USB playback and SPDIF In), after all processing including volume control (Post), or both at the same time (Dual). The outer thin line is the Pre level. In Dual mode the peak values to the right refer to Post level.

I tend to see red a lot in the level meter before processing ("pre"). Does it only turn red when the input is clipping, or also when the input is close to being clipped?

2 Reply by Curt962 (edited by Curt962 2019-08-20 04:21:30)

  • Registered: 2019-01-07
  • Posts: 1,463

Re: Level Meter: Does Red Always Mean Clipping?

Red=Clipping.   Clipping sounds terrible, and can be damaging to Speakers.  Tweeters in Particular.

Investigate the cause.  Quite often the result of highly compressed, and Poorly Produced Source Material.

Curt

Vintage 2018 ADI-2 DAC. "Classic AKM4490 Edition"
Cables:  Red, and White Ones.
Speakers:  Yes

3 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • Registered: 2007-04-06
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Re: Level Meter: Does Red Always Mean Clipping?

The input clip indication is triggered digitally. It uses the highest allowed value to show overload. Some digital sources (high volume CDs...) cause the clip indication to come up quite often. To get a better feeling with this use DIGICheck's 2 and 4 bar level meters to analyze the overs more accurately. You get two tools: clipping indication based on multiple and consecutive highest level samples, and the Oversampling option which shows true overs more accurately.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2019-05-21
  • Posts: 22

Re: Level Meter: Does Red Always Mean Clipping?

Does DIGICheck require any additional hardware? The ADI-2 DAC is the only RME product I own.

  • ramses
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Re: Level Meter: Does Red Always Mean Clipping?

It needs an ASIO driver as it works as ASIO client.

If you look into the manual, digicheck is supported for the ADI-2 DAC.

See ch 20: Installing the RME drivers adds ASIO (PCM, DSD DoP and DSD Native), and extends WDM up
to 768 kHz. The drivers are also required for firmware updates and DIGICheck.

Ch 22.2: RME's sophisticated tool DIGICheck operates like an ASIO host, using a special technique to
access playback channels directly. Therefore DIGICheck is able to analyse and display playback
data from any software, no matter which format it uses.

Ch 23: DIGICheck Windows
The DIGICheck software is a unique utility developed for testing, measuring and analysing digital
audio streams. Although this Windows software is fairly self-explanatory, it still includes a
comprehensive online help. DIGICheck 5.92 operates as multi-client ASIO host, therefore can
be used in parallel to any software, with both inputs and outputs (!). The following is a short
summary of the currently available functions:...

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
  • Registered: 2019-05-21
  • Posts: 22

Re: Level Meter: Does Red Always Mean Clipping?

Thanks, got it running. Cool tool. I've already found some very nasty instances of clipping in the stereo downmix of Deepwater Horizon's surround track.

https://i.imgur.com/7UAJWQe.jpg

But are values just under -0.0 (e.g., -0.2) also considered clipping?

7 Reply by MC

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Re: Level Meter: Does Red Always Mean Clipping?

+0.2 dBFS is harmless. Wait until you see +3 dBFS...

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2019-06-20
  • Posts: 121

Re: Level Meter: Does Red Always Mean Clipping?

bitfidelity wrote:

Thanks, got it running. Cool tool. I've already found some very nasty instances of clipping in the stereo downmix of Deepwater Horizon's surround track.

https://i.imgur.com/7UAJWQe.jpg

But are values just under -0.0 (e.g., -0.2) also considered clipping?

Hi.

I could do with using this utitliy as I'm also seeing my level meters going into "OVR" quite a lot!
I use an amplifier to control volume so my line level is set to 0dB and locked.
Maybe I should reduce this to -5 dB or something to tame this issue?

When I get chance, I'll try DIGIcheck when I'm next playing around with RME. smile

RME ADI2 PRO FS R be - Genelec 8341AWM - Arendal 1723 1S Subwoofer (x2)