Clipping vs. Limiting: The Secret to Loudness
The Quest for "Competitive Volume"
Every producer asks: "Why is my mix -3dB quieter than the reference?" The answer usually isn't "more limiting." In fact, relying solely on a limiter often makes tracks sound softer because it crushes the punch of the drums. The secret weapon of modern mastering—especially in Trap, EDM, and Pop—is Soft Clipping.
The Limiter: A Brick Wall
A limiter is a compressor with an infinite ratio. When a signal hits the ceiling (0dB), the
limiter pushes the entire volume down to prevent it from crossing.
The Downside: When a loud snare hits, the limiter ducks everything else
(the "pumping" effect). This eats up headroom and energy.
The Clipper: The Surgical Knife
A Soft Clipper doesn't push volume down. Instead, it literally "chops off" the waveform peaks
that exceed the threshold.
The Upside: Because it doesn't affect the rest of the waveform, the body of
your kick and bass stays loud and solid. The trade-off is Harmonic Distortion.
But in small amounts, this distortion actually sounds pleasing (like analog tape saturation).
đź“‹ The "Clip-to-Limit" Workflow
Don't make your Limiter do all the work.
1. Place a Soft Clipper before your Limiter.
2. Drive the Clipper to shave off 2-3dB of the sharpest drum transients.
3. This sends a much flatter, easier signal to your Limiter, allowing you to push the
final volume 2-3dB louder without pumping!