Clipping.... can you do this with a sound card?

[Klosure]

From what I gather clipping can be done in analog hardware and some emulate this using something like G-clip or Fabfilter.



Can you do this by coming out of the soundcard and back in? The Mbox 3 and other devices have soft-clip/limit.

I will give it a go but just wondering if (whilst at work considering it) anyone tried it already?

 

[xFkx]

if you have multiple inputs/outputs then why not.

I can clip my saffire when I dime the output of my g-ssl clone into the saffire inputs, but somehow it doesn't sound any better than gclip and gets the sound muddy.

 

[amarshism]

where are you setting your gain at on the return?

 

[tempe]

You'll need at least one piece of outboard gear as how you do it is by hitting the A/D harder than 0dBFS, if you send it out hotter than that you'll clip the D/A it will sound messed up. Basically you use the outboard gear to drive the level past 0, use preferably the cleanest piece you have unless you want some vibe from the output gain / transformers.

You could use the preamps on your interface but I imagine that wouldn't sound the best, I definitely wouldn't try to clip my master with generally average interface preamps.

Also a lot of people say that if you don't have a nice high end converter you're better off in the box as certain converters (think stuff in the league of the Crane Song HEDD) clip "more musically," I know when I tried it with my Fireface800 I got better results using T-Racks clipper.

I think one of the first engineers to do this was Ted Jensen clipping a Apogee 2 channel DA, although that could just be hearsay.

 

[Klosure]

ok thanks.... sounds like you can do this in the box just as well (well unless you had a proper analog mastering house to abuse).

I might give it a go at some point.

 

[PlugSlut]

...when I tried it with my Fireface800 I got better results using T-Racks clipper.

I am absolutely new into clipping single instruments like snare, toms and kick. I have heard good things about the T-Racks Clipper, which I don’t have myself. I downloaded G Clip two days ago and tried it on my snare, but it is hard to find out how much I am clipping, due to the lack of readouts. I also have the iZotope Ozone which have a clipper in the maximizer section.
For those of you who have the experience; How does the Ozone Clipper hold up against the T-Racks Clipper?

Thanks
PlugSlut

 

[kool98769]

I downloaded G Clip two days ago and tried it on my snare, but it is hard to find out how much I am clipping, due to the lack of readouts.

The best advice I can give you is use your ears.
If you can hear audible distortion, I'd probably turn it down....unless it's being used for an effect.