A system comprising: a cochlear implant that is electrically coupled to a plurality of electrodes, the cochlear implant being suitable for being implanted within a patient and including a current source tied to a voltage supply and having an output that is electrically coupled to an electrode included in the plurality of electrodes, a mirrored current source associated with the current source and that, in use, can be commanded to output a commanded current, a reference load coupled to an output of the mirrored current source and that, in use, can be configured to force the mirrored current source into an out-of-compliance state in which the mirrored current source outputs a reference current that is a predetermined percentage lower than the commanded current, the reference current resulting in a dynamic reference voltage at the output of the mirrored current source, wherein the association of the mirrored current source with the current source is such that conditions that cause said mirrored current source to enter the out-of-compliance state also cause said current source to enter an out-of-compliance state, said system further comprising a comparator adapted to compare a voltage at the output of the current source with the dynamic reference voltage, and to output a signal based on the comparison. a cochlear implant that is electrically coupled to a plurality of electrodes, the cochlear implant being suitable for being implanted within a patient and including a current source tied to a voltage supply and having an output that is electrically coupled to an electrode included in the plurality of electrodes, a mirrored current source associated with the current source and that, in use, can be commanded to output a commanded current, a reference load coupled to an output of the mirrored current source and that, in use, can be configured to force the mirrored current source into an out-of-compliance state in which the mirrored current source outputs a reference current that is a predetermined percentage lower than the commanded current, the reference current resulting in a dynamic reference voltage at the output of the mirrored current source, wherein the association of the mirrored current source with the current source is such that conditions that cause said mirrored current source to enter the out-of-compliance state also cause said current source to enter an out-of-compliance state, said system further comprising a comparator adapted to compare a voltage at the output of the current source with the dynamic reference voltage, and to output a signal based on the comparison. a current source tied to a voltage supply and having an output that is electrically coupled to an electrode included in the plurality of electrodes, a mirrored current source associated with the current source and that, in use, can be commanded to output a commanded current, a reference load coupled to an output of the mirrored current source and that, in use, can be configured to force the mirrored current source into an out-of-compliance state in which the mirrored current source outputs a reference current that is a predetermined percentage lower than the commanded current, the reference current resulting in a dynamic reference voltage at the output of the mirrored current source, wherein the association of the mirrored current source with the current source is such that conditions that cause said mirrored current source to enter the out-of-compliance state also cause said current source to enter an out-of-compliance state, said system further comprising a comparator adapted to compare a voltage at the output of the current source with the dynamic reference voltage, and to output a signal based on the comparison.