diff --git a/internal/audio/c/audio.c b/internal/audio/c/audio.c
index d0241aac..e4fc5ddd 100644
--- a/internal/audio/c/audio.c
+++ b/internal/audio/c/audio.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include <speex/speex_resampler.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <errno.h>
@@ -208,45 +209,44 @@ static inline void simd_clear_samples_s16(short * __restrict__ buffer, uint32_t
 
 /**
  * Soft-clip audio samples to prevent digital clipping distortion
- * Uses smooth saturation curve for transients that exceed ±30720 (~0.94 of max)
+ * Samples within ±30720 (0.9375 or 15/16 of max) pass through unchanged
+ * Samples exceeding threshold are compressed 4:1 (excess reduced by 75%)
  * Processes 8 samples per iteration using ARM NEON
  */
-static inline void simd_soft_clip_s16(short * __restrict__ buffer, uint32_t samples) {
-	const int16_t threshold = 30720;  // 0.9375 * 32768
+static inline int simd_soft_clip_s16(int16_t * __restrict__ buffer, uint32_t samples) {
+	if (__builtin_expect(buffer == NULL || samples == 0, 0)) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	if (__builtin_expect(samples > 7680, 0)) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: simd_soft_clip_s16: sample count %u exceeds maximum\n", samples);
+		fflush(stderr);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	const int16_t threshold = 30720;
 	const int16x8_t thresh_pos = vdupq_n_s16(threshold);
 	const int16x8_t thresh_neg = vdupq_n_s16(-threshold);
-	const int16x8_t max_val = vdupq_n_s16(32767);
-	const int16x8_t min_val = vdupq_n_s16(-32768);
 
 	uint32_t i = 0;
 	uint32_t simd_samples = samples & ~7U;
 
 	for (; i < simd_samples; i += 8) {
 		int16x8_t samples_vec = vld1q_s16(&buffer[i]);
-
-		// Detect samples exceeding positive threshold
 		uint16x8_t exceeds_pos = vcgtq_s16(samples_vec, thresh_pos);
-		// Detect samples below negative threshold
 		uint16x8_t exceeds_neg = vcltq_s16(samples_vec, thresh_neg);
 
-		// Apply soft saturation to samples exceeding thresholds
-		// For positive: scale down to range [threshold, max_val]
-		// For negative: scale up to range [min_val, -threshold]
 		int16x8_t clipped = samples_vec;
 		clipped = vbslq_s16(exceeds_pos,
-		                    vaddq_s16(thresh_pos, vshrq_n_s16(vsubq_s16(samples_vec, thresh_pos), 2)),
+		                    vqaddq_s16(thresh_pos, vshrq_n_s16(vqsubq_s16(samples_vec, thresh_pos), 2)),
 		                    clipped);
 		clipped = vbslq_s16(exceeds_neg,
-		                    vaddq_s16(thresh_neg, vshrq_n_s16(vsubq_s16(samples_vec, thresh_neg), 2)),
+		                    vqaddq_s16(thresh_neg, vshrq_n_s16(vqsubq_s16(samples_vec, thresh_neg), 2)),
 		                    clipped);
 
-		// Clamp to int16 range
-		clipped = vminq_s16(vmaxq_s16(clipped, min_val), max_val);
-
 		vst1q_s16(&buffer[i], clipped);
 	}
 
-	// Scalar: remaining samples
 	for (; i < samples; i++) {
 		int32_t sample = buffer[i];
 		if (sample > threshold) {
@@ -254,11 +254,10 @@ static inline void simd_soft_clip_s16(short * __restrict__ buffer, uint32_t samp
 		} else if (sample < -threshold) {
 			sample = -threshold + ((sample + threshold) >> 2);
 		}
-		// Clamp to int16 range
-		if (sample > 32767) sample = 32767;
-		if (sample < -32768) sample = -32768;
-		buffer[i] = (short)sample;
+		buffer[i] = (int16_t)sample;
 	}
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 // INITIALIZATION STATE TRACKING
@@ -810,8 +809,12 @@ retry_read:
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	// Apply soft-clipping to prevent digital clipping distortion on sharp transients
-	simd_soft_clip_s16(pcm_to_encode, opus_frame_size * capture_channels);
+	if (simd_soft_clip_s16(pcm_to_encode, opus_frame_size * capture_channels) < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: capture: Soft-clipping failed\n");
+		fflush(stderr);
+		pthread_mutex_unlock(&capture_mutex);
+		return -1;
+	}
 
 	nb_bytes = opus_encode(enc, pcm_to_encode, opus_frame_size, out, max_packet_size);