OK, no one explains the difference correctly, so I'll do it here. Imagine we have a 44.1KHz, 16-bit PCM digital audio format for export. Each of the 44,100 samples per second (one stream for left and one for right) has a value between -32768 to 32767 (signed, twos-complement 16-bit binary). But, our DAW uses 32-bit or 64-bit floating-point internally, so there are values allowed outside this range (that's why you can go into the red on your individual and even master tracks all over the place but not distort). In the final PCM file, however, such values aren't allowed. What do we do with values outside this range (from -96db to 0db, 6db per bit)? A clipper simply takes anything less than -32768 and makes it -32768; it takes anything greater than 32767 and makes it 32767. That is, a clipper *throws aways* information. This has the effect of saturation or distortion depending on how far out of range the sample values are. A limiter, in contrast, *scales* out-of-range values by multiplying by a value less than 1.0. Now, how this clipping and limiting is actually done is where the differences in individual clippers and limiters comes in (the more clever they are, usually the better, but cleverness induces latency). Some, actually most if not all, limiters look ahead, some clippers look ahead, and act on *groups* of sample values. What about that over-sampling value you can set on some clippers and limiters? So, if we have four sample values: 32766, 32767, 32767, 32766, you can guess what the value between the two 32767 values would be if we created, with oversampling, some intermediate value(s): it would be *greater* than 32767. That's a *true peak* value: it's what the waveform would look like when it's reconstructed by the D/A conversion on output. So, even though there's no sample in an audio file that's greater than 0db (32767 or less than -32768), there can still be a peak above 0db *after* the signal is reconstructed for presentation to a speaker (or over-sampled). So, clippers *throw away* information by just chopping sample values; limiters try to preserve dynamics and harmonics by *scaling* sample values (a compressor *scales* by the ratio, for example). Scaling can preserve more of the original information, though it clearly cannot preserve all of it (unless you scale *all* samples, which is the same as turning down the volume). Also, the issue here is *crest factor,* which is the difference between the peak value and RMS value of your sound. If you can get a low crest factor, you have the potential to make your final, exported mix loud without too much distortion from either clipping or limiting. And, clipping and limiting serve to reduce crest factor. That's the reason you can use saturation on a, say, cymbal sound and reduce it's peak value while actually making it *sound* louder: saturation takes the energy of the transient and spreads it around with harmonics that don't change the sound much but reduce the transient/peak energy: this serves to reduce the *crest factor* of the sound. There's plenty more to say, but, I've said my peace.

Dude you are an absolute legend! I've been a mix/mastering engineer for 12 years. I own Manic Recording Studio in Toronto. You have by FAR the most helpful, insightful and thoughtful content on the internet when it comes to the world of audio! Thank you for your service.

So awesome. This info is suuuuuuuper helpful. Well explained. Thanks Streaky for helping take the guesswork out of understanding this tech.

I like your tutorials because they are short but contain so much information.

This is an awesome, easy to understand explanation of this. Thanks! I am most definitely going to be checking out more videos on mastering, it has always intimidated me.

Thanks for the explanation, Streaky, and for all the helpful videos. Merry Christmas and all the best in 2021.

Awesome video Streaky. Cleaning up the peaks before going into the limiter. Then using the limiter to just smash the track.

You really are giving it all away! Good on ya, never thought i would see the day for using a clipper on program material before a limiter? Makes perfect sense now!👍

Great vid Streaky .great knowledge your sharing here. Keep up the good work .

Thanks for the video Streaky!!! Very good stuff!!

I hate the loudness wars, but I used Flatline on my mix for the first time and it really unified the whole thing, made it easier to listen to loud and even brought out lots of the details.

I did ask about this clipper thing few days ago on your insta dm and here is the explanation and demo great🙌

Streaky, you're really awesome man! Thanks for this stuff.

Amazing demonstration ! Thank you so much for this one :)

Now I understand just how to use a clipper with a limiter. Thank you love your content some of the best out there.

What a wonderful human being you are Streaky! I know its all part of the marketing plan and you also sell great products and courses, but the amount of knowledge you are willing to share online for free is just out of this world. You are truly a legend for helping people this much, my biggest respect and compliments, you are truly one of a kind!

So well explained and really helpful, absolutely brilliant

Wow this was so straight forward. Thanks for sharing.

Ace. Didn't even know there was such a thing as a 'clipper'. just Used it to tame some Acoustic guitar spikes . Thanks, Streaky !

I find myself watching more and more of Streaky's videos. He doesn't explain things like he's talking to another engineer. He explains things like he is NOT talking to another engineer.

Thank you! this was very helpful, especially the part about how limiters can sound different! I use the one in Logic Pro and really like it but i am going to try some other ones.

Bro i hope u had a great holiday. 👍🏽 can never thank you enough for what you do for us

I was asking me what's best between clipper and limiter and how to use both of them, and this is your video for my birthday 💯 Thanks Streaky 🔥

Following the lead and results get better. Cheers Streaky 👍🏿!!

carnage ~ "it makes everything very very way more super louder"

This is the most informative video on these two very different plug-ins.

SUPERB TUTORIAL , AS ALWAYS STREAKY

Following the lead and results get better.Good luck Streaky

i really appreciate the way you break down things so thanks you

You definitely know the subject i'm in right now! :)

Been using the Brainworx bx_XL v2 for a while now. Really love it! The clipper intrigues me though. Doing a lot of jazz artists where the dynamic swings greatly.....the clipper could be interesting. Thanks Jedi Streaky!!!!

Freeware Gclip is a good one. It has a waveform display too has you set it.

I use Kclip by kazrog. Sometimes I prefer also adding an exciter before the limiter. Or just shaping or rounding of some peaks with unfiltered audio zip with a very tiny threshold and gain reduction. Usually just a couple of dB. I was inspired using an exciter by an ozone 9 preset as a goto mastering chain.

Nice one! Keep up the good work!

i literally discover mastering world since january 2021 to apply on my beats and i can tell that this trick is the best i learned so far.

Ive been producing for 14 years and never looked into clippers. Im excited to experiment now - ive always struggled to get loud yet transparent masters. Thankyou 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

AWESOME! Though it's 2 years old of content, this is still quite relevant and helpful! Thanks!!!

Great advice every time

This is my new favorite channel. These engineer channels are usually full of super long videos with some boring guy and and awful/irrelevant music. The music on this channel is always amazing and the videos are easy to follow along to.

Thank you! ❤

Great video and explanation!

Hi Streaky, thanks for all the tips. Any chance you could do a video (or a few) about how to combine some of them? For example, how you would combine a Glue compressor, Luxury Low Mids, Dynamic EQ, etc. on the mixbus. Any particular order? Are there some combinations that work better than others? I'm thinking more about mixing here rather than mastering. Cheers!

Cheers mate, really appreciate this content! Interested about the limiter sandwich too

Back in the day I did the clipping trick using the analog input stage on my ADC. It was a colossal pain the butt. Now I use KClip or DMG Limitless and I’m much more relaxed.

Thanks for the very helpful information!

The only mixing and mastering channel worth watching.

Thanks for the cool tips man.

The video I’ve been waiting for

Great video. Thanks

Hi there. Nice one Streaky. I like 1:1 way of using clipper. 👍🤓

So excited of new Clipper plugin by Acustica, came here to really study further about clippers.

My favorite clipper is the TRS Classic Clipper by IK Multimedia. It is $49 but often goes on sale or even free, so you should definitely check it out!

great video thank you

nice ez explanation from the start!

Very nice video!!!

keep up the good work boss man !!!

Oxford inflator is amazing, no idea wtf it does but you get increased loudness with no loss in dynamics, no compression etc My chain for my drums is ssl bus comp, saturn2,Oxford inflator,soothe,limiter

Helpful vid. Subscribed.

that was super useful

Thanks mate

Very useful, thanks very much. Liked and subsribed!

Thanks a bunch man !! Really a good insight towards using clippers without a fear from now onwards... Believe this has been a secret receipe for SUPER LOUD but yet undistorted masters so far! ... But not a secret anymore!!! Thanks millions Streaky.... Please suggest the best clipper plugins as you move ahead.... Cheers!🎉🎉🎉🎉👊👊👍

Awesome video

thank you very much

I believe you're gonna get that 50k Family🙏👍🏽🔥

Another great video. I've just bought the Pro L2. I know you've done many videos but any chance of a in depth overview of all the settings on the pro L2 and what to adjust / look for dependant on what you're hearing. Maybe a break down of the default settings i.e modern, transparent etc. Top man, I genuinely look forward to your videos 👍

You ask... Streaky delivers!! thank u

That FLATLINE clipper looks good

bro mixed and mastered as long as im on this planet just existing

That lil tidbit at 8:00 maks so much sense!!

Best of all

I remember when I opened up Depeche Mode’s “precious” in soundforge 15 years ago, and it looked like a solid rectangle. But it sounded pretty good.

Hey Steaky! Great video. I use mostly 3 clippers: UAD Elysia Alpha Compressor (it has a built-in clipper many people never mention and it sounds killer!), Kazrog KClip3, and Event Horizon by Steelwell. It all depends on the material of course. I use clippers on almost every group as well as some individual tracks if necessary. Do you have any favorite clippers we should know about, Streaky?

Thanks, this was very helpful! Quick question, did I read somewhere that you opt to have the true peak limiting on the L2, off by default?

Great video. Thanks for addressing the 90's start of the loudness wars. So I guess the TC Finalizer was responsible for squashing. I read their site and it seems that the soft clipper in the Finalizer was invented to emulate the sound of driving tape.Is this the reason why most AD converters don't clip well? Are the high end AD converters that clip well relying on a soft clipping circuit to handle clipping before it hands it off to the digital conversion algorithm?

Learned something new today... not studied clipper at all... new thing to dive into now

Great!

I tend to always run a clipper before my final limiter

Getting my daily Streak!!

invisible limiter also sounds good to me, I use both Pro L2 with invisible ;)

Hello Streaky, thank you for that great content! Can you do the same video about Maximizer vs. Limiter?

When I first found out about clippers a top tier engineer (in my niche scene) told me to put sausage fattener on the mix bus, touch nothing on it and drive signal into it, if there’s issues hitting the loudness target then the issue is in the mix. Now I’m wayyyyy down the rabbit hole with clipping, so far down i can’t find my way out.. I’ve heard kclip is really good but haven’t tried it yet

i turned that like button on maaan :D

Great video, I'm interested what is considered the best mastering grade, (best sounding) and transparent clipper circa 2024?

jeez that sub in the intro is still freaking me out - thanks ;D

How much clipping maximum do you recommend ? And how much maximum gain reduction for limiting ?

Now I'm learning!!!!!!

Hey streaky could you do a video on softubes weiss ds1 mk3 plug-in ? Can you see if it’s good compared to the hardware unit

So basically we all need to go buy a good clipper

Would love a video on true peak and when to use it

I think I'm starting to get a hang of this. I've been a noob all my life

Needed a clipper on the "WelcomeBack" ! :)

I usually use soft clipper from brainwork elysia and limiter. what do you think about it?

I'm assuming you wouldn't want to have the threshold so low on the clipper before feeding into the compressor, right? Just have it clip off any crazy peaks that would cause the compressor to wildly over-correct?

❤️❤️

Nice tip. So clippers are like a very fast lookahead limiter?

Cool video👍🏻 but I want to ask you a question: do you use clipper on vocals in mixing process and if yes what would you use for that purpose? My vocalist has huge dynamic range and I heard that clipper set first in a fx chain would help tame peaks and ease work of compressor.

It is craziest thing. Bravo. Wondering about using Oxford clipper on msatering stage before maximizer.

Is what you've explained all for the master bus when mixing, or when mastering? Thanks!

I sent you a band type song to demo if you like. I say "band type" because I'm the only member, haha! Thanks for all you do for the community.