Clipping Detection
Clipping in a circuit can be detected by comparing the original input signal with an output signal that has been adjusted for changes in applied gain. For instance, if a circuit has 10 dB of applied gain, it can be tested for clipping by attenuating the output signal's gain by 10 dB and comparing it to the input signal. If the circuit is driven into clipping, the attenuated output signal will show less voltage in the comparison. The electrical offset between the two signals can be used to illuminate clipping detection indicators, such as a red LED, and can be used to decrease the gain of a preceding circuit so that the level of clipping distortion can be limited.
Read more about this topic: Clipping (audio)