Clipping

Digital clipping is the harsh, crunchy version and it destroys information. Anything above the ceiling was not recorded in the first place, and no plugin can reconstruct it. Analogue overload is gentler and occasionally even desirable. Prevention is the entire game. Set gain so peaks land well below the ceiling, leave real headroom, and treat a limiter as a safety net rather than a repair tool. Watch the meters while you record, and use a second safety track at a lower level if your recorder offers one. A quiet take can be brought up in the edit; a clipped take has to be recorded again.