Clipping

From DNBWiki

Clipping occurs when a signal is more then the maxiumum accepted volume. Normally above 0dBFs.

While Digital clipping sounds displeasing to the human ear, Analog clipping sounds pleasing. This is because analogue clipping is actually true harmonic distortion and adds frequencies to the sound that are mathematically related to the signal, whereas digital clipping adds distortion which is not.

More info about clipping, see distortion.