Microphone clipping test
Clipping is when your microphone is so loud that the sound hits full scale and distorts. Speak at your loudest and watch the peak meter.
Microphone clipping test workspace
Privacy: Camera and microphone video and audio stay in this browser tab. Clips and photos are created on your device and never uploaded.
How to use
4 short steps.
Click Start at your usual gain
Allow microphone access and keep the input level you normally use. Pick the right microphone if you have more than one.
Talk quietly, then normally, then loud
Watch Peak and Headroom. Aim for peaks between -12 and -6 dBFS. The card turns amber near -6 and red above -3.
Lower the gain if you see clipping
Reduce the input level in your sound settings or on the interface, then repeat the same loud phrase.
Record a clip to hear it
Clipped speech sounds harsh and flattened. Record a loud sentence, play it back, and compare after each gain change.
What the result means
Match what you see to one of these.
If Clipping events stays at 0, your gain is fine
If you speak at your loudest and the counter stays at zero with peaks below -6 dBFS, the browser received clean audio with room to spare. Keep this setting.
If you see a few short peaks, listen first
If one or two events appear on a shout or a laugh, that is a brief transient. Play back the clip. If it sounds clean, leave the gain alone.
If clipping repeats, your mic is too loud
If the counter keeps climbing and the status says Clipping, lower the input gain or move back until peaks sit near -6 dBFS. The status clears after three clean seconds.
Troubleshooting
If the test fails, try these in order.
Lower the input level in your system
Windows: Settings > System > Sound > Input, then drag Input volume down. macOS: System Settings > Sound > Input, then lower Input volume. Speak loudly again.
Turn down the gain knob on the mic or interface
USB mics and audio interfaces often have their own gain dial that overrides the system slider. Back it off a quarter turn and retest.
Turn off boost and auto gain
In Windows, open the microphone Properties and set Microphone Boost to 0 dB. Disable auto gain in your meeting or streaming app, then speak again.
Move back from the mic
Sit 20 to 30 cm away and speak across the capsule rather than straight into it. Repeat the loud phrase.
Remove hubs and adapters
Plug the microphone straight into the computer. Powered hubs and cheap adapters can add distortion that looks like clipping. Retest with the same phrase.
What this test can't tell you
Where a browser check stops.
- Near-full-scale samples in the browser's audio stream suggest clipping, but they cannot show whether the analog preamp or an app clipped first.
- Echo cancellation, noise suppression and auto gain can hide or create peaks before this page sees them.
FAQ
Common questions about this test.
What is microphone clipping?
Clipping happens when your voice is louder than the microphone or its input can handle. The top of the waveform is cut off flat, and the sound turns harsh and distorted. Lowering the gain fixes it.
How can I tell if my audio is clipping?
Watch the Peak card while you talk loudly. Peaks above -3 dBFS and a rising Clipping events count mean you are clipping. Recorded speech that sounds crunchy or flattened on loud words is the same thing.
What peak level should I aim for?
Aim for peaks between -12 and -6 dBFS during normal speech, which leaves 6 to 12 dB of headroom for laughs and shouts. If you hit -3 dBFS or higher, lower the gain.
Is a little bit of clipping okay?
One brief peak on a shout is rarely audible. Repeated clipping during normal talking is not okay. It distorts every loud word and no filter can repair it afterwards.
What is the 3:1 rule for mics?
It is a placement rule for using several mics at once. Keep each mic at least three times as far from the other mics as it is from its own speaker. It reduces phase cancellation and has nothing to do with clipping.