KVR Audio

sadkin · Post by **sadkin** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 2:23 pm

What is your favorite mastering limiter and why? Pardon me for clarifying in advance but let me say, I am not asking about mix buss compression/limiting, for me, that is earlier in my mastering chain and feel I've that well covered. I am referring to the very last limiter in the mastering chain. I am not sure how others do it but I generally use three leveling processors in my little world of mastering; aside from a little bit of coloring with tape sims, some subtractive eq, I use a compressor, then a clipper and finally a brickwall limiter. I am looking for perceived gain while retaining a respectable transparency - especially in regards to maintaining the integrity of the initial mix. I suspect folks have each tried a few, I'd love to get some responses as to 'why'...what is it which drew them to one, over another. Particularly between:

Izotope maximizer
fabfilter Pro-L
AOM limiter.

I know waves seems to have a few of them as does IK (why, btw?, it would seem to me, as their technology and methods improve in coding these limiters, one would update or simply replace the old?).

Peter - IK Multimedia · Tue Mar 26, 2013 2:54 pm

sadkin wrote:...seems to have a few of them as does IK (why, btw?, it would seem to me, as their technology and methods improve in coding these limiters, one would update or simply replace the old?).

We have one Brickwall Limiter. There's a Multiband Limiter, a Quad Limiter, and some "character" models (that are in the same "family" perhaps but made more to model very specific hardware) but they are different beasts. Arguably, the Quad Limiter could be seen as an "improvement" of the old version I suppose. Also, there's a brickwall limiter built into the Quad Limiter but I think that's just a convenience, especially for those without the whole suite who may purchase that as a "Single" in the Custom Shop. Here's the gear list with some more info

schnapsglas · Post by **schnapsglas** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 3:05 pm

I don't like Pro-L, it sounds wrong in very small way.
I like Barricade but it seems to be missing something.
I don't like Maximizer.
I like FG-X but it sometimes does things that you didn't expect it to.

I remember Sonnox limiter. It was OK.

In the end for transparency I have to go with Pro-L. I know it makes no sense, but I think that is what I would call transparent.

Breval · Post by **Breval** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 3:13 pm

Pro-L is my go-to although I don't smash more than 2-3 dbs, any you mentioned such as Waves, IK works just as well on my material.

This free one works well too:
http://vladgsound.wordpress.com/plugins/limiter6/

dark_virus · Post by **dark_virus** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 3:22 pm

i like BuzMaxi 3. Tried countless plugins, but none of them worth the change. To me, it sounds transparent enough for my needs.

wesleyt · Post by **wesleyt** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 5:18 pm

DDMF's NoLimits is my go-to. It's easy to set and I like its sound.

TB Barricade is reliable and transparent.

Vlad's Limiter No. 6 is about as brick wall as they come, with a final-stage clipper. Also very nice.

faun2500 · Post by **faun2500** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 6:33 pm

Barricade.

I have tried/used UAD Precision, Elephant, horison and the Vlad free one.

faun2500 · Post by **faun2500** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 6:35 pm

schnapsglas wrote: I like Barricade but it seems to be missing something.

I agree, Its missing distortion!

codec_spurt · Post by **codec_spurt** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:07 pm

For Transparency:

Aradaz Maximizer and LoudMax.

For Character:

TbT TubeLimit and Antress's Fairchild 670 'clone' - ModernVFME.

For Transparency and Character and when I've got a bit more money:

Voxengo Elephant.

Also, the ModernVRME - Manley vari-mu 'clone' is exceptionally good in the character department.

cheers.

Tricky-Loops · Post by **Tricky-Loops** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:23 pm

Currently I use the limiters of the Analog Mastering Suite from Nomad Factory, in my ears they sound good...

Sometimes I use the Aradaz Maximizer and the LoudMax, and I like Barricade, too (who doesn't?)...

Kaboom75 · Post by **Kaboom75** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:24 pm

DMG Audio Compassion's Big limit mod is my favourite because it's hard to tell it apart from Pro-L and FG-X meaning that it's pro top notch stuff and it runs stable low CPU while FG-X is not compatible with large RAM usage mixes.

A lot of people assume Compassion is a compressor plugin but what it was designed to be is a plugin that covers all aspects of dynamics, transient shaping, compression , Limiting, and gate to the highest quality and workflow.

vata44 · Post by **vata44** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 6:18 am

I use TB Barricade because I cannot afford Pro-L and I cannot justify the cost difference for the sound difference.

Plus, I have no f-ing clue what I am doing for mastering, so I do not see the need for anything more fancy.

rasmusklump · Post by **rasmusklump** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 6:22 am

I love the Melda Dynamics Limiter. Its very clean but can also distort if wanted.

poshook · Post by **poshook** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 7:05 am

TB Barricade, Kuassa KratosMaximizer

recursive one · Post by **recursive one** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 7:14 am

Another vote for Barricade, very transparent and punchy.

Be sure to try demo.

Which brickwall mastering limiter?