Best SW mastering limiter? Precision limiter VS L3

[Purusha]

Title says it all.

L3 multiband limiter any good?


Purusha

[thermos]

I think its a little better than the precision limiter. The uad one sounds a little more audible when it limits. Definitely thicker than the L2/cleaner than the L1.

[Purusha]

Originally Posted by thermos

I think its a little better than the precision limiter. The uad one sounds a little more audible when it limits. Definitely thicker than the L2/cleaner than the L1.

You are talking about L3?

Purusha

[BackHand]

I had a Limiter shoot out with: Precision Limiter (UA), L3, L2, Tls Limiter and the Sonic Timeworks Mastering Compressor.

I hate the L3..it's eaven worse than the L2...EVERYTHING sounds changed...the sonic "enhancer" of all the Waves limiters totally twists everything around ..hate it...the PRecision Limiter did great with acoustic soft music as Jazz and such...but tight dense rock mixes wassen't it's charm...the Tls Limiter (wich is free by the way !!!!!) did a great job on all kinds of audio material, very transparant! My favourite was though the Timeworks Mastering Compressor...especially music with a lot of punchy drums! No limiter was eaven close to the Timeworks Mastering Compressor was of NOT crusching the attacks of kicks and snares..try it nad buy it ! Or else, get the Tls Limiter..it's great..and the value..well...crazy !

[Devs1980]

Where can I find the TIs limiter you mentioned?

Thanks

David Evans

[BackHand]

Originally Posted by Devs1980

Where can I find the TIs limiter you mentioned?

Thanks

David Evans

http://hem.bredband.net/tbtaudio/index.html

[el cochino]

Originally Posted by BackHand

http://hem.bredband.net/tbtaudio/index.html

Windows version only!

[Trailerman]

Precision Limiter if you're not using ProTools, Oxford Limiter if you are.

If I have to limit in a mix I use Precision, only because the UAD-1 is on our Logic machine. If I have to limit a complete mix I use the Oxford, only because it's on our ProTools machine - both are awesome.

Waves stuff is fine, it's just .... Waves.

[lawrence_o]

Guys, I do apologize already for the following:

I read a lot of critics on the waves L3 or L2. Well, I used to share that opinion until I watched the DVD that comes with the waves bundle in where they actually teach you HOW TO USE them!

I don't have that crushed up sound anymore where all the reverb and effects are 10 times more audible due to exagurated compressing/limiting!

Use the L3 gently and it'll sound bloody great.

Actually, what I do now is just put my mix through the SSL into the Prisms ADA-8 and put it loud enough to have the Prism's limiters kick in now and then.

I then gently apply the L3 just to have maximum volume.

I know most mastering engineers master at -0,3db but I don't really give a ... I go to -0.01 and never had any problems on TV, Radio or any CD player.

The only thing is that people have been asking me a few times now how come my mixes seem louder then the others? Well, now you know.


Small remark though: Although I disagree the L2 L3 are useless, NOTHING beats the real deal i.e. the hardware comps/Limiters.

Kind regards
Lawrence.

[guru007]

I've been very pleased with the TC MD3 / Brickwall Limiter. You need the Powercore to run it, but it's worth it IMHO.

Best,
guru007

[iziphonics]

I've just checked out the TL's limiter and it's really nice!
Sounds well, very nice interface and it's really free

[T_R_S]

Originally Posted by lawrence_o

Use the L3 gently and it'll sound bloody great.
.

Right On! thumbsup

[max cooper]

I have the Precision and the Oxford and neither of them do what I want to hear.

[MASSIVE Master]

UAD in "B" mode if I have to use the plugs.

[knerd]

In protools I actually use MAXIM :-) ... I don't MASTER with it, but at the end of a mix, I'll use it to get a bit more loudness [maybe to -3.0dB] before I bounce the mix.

Why don't people like maxim? I've had only great experiences with it.. when I only use it to crush a mix, if it's a quick mix/bounce just for the client to hear in their car.


For outboard, I've use aphex Dominator II's ... they are cheap, they work. they sound
good..

[NathanEldred]

If you can do windows DX, I've found the Sonic Timeworks Mastering Limiter to be the best, much better than Waves in the clarity dept IMO.

[mixerguy]

I like the L2

I dislike the L3

[Purusha]

Originally Posted by NathanEldred

If you can do windows DX, I've found the Sonic Timeworks Mastering Limiter to be the best, much better than Waves in the clarity dept IMO.

I completely forgot about the Timeworks Mastering Limiter which I have a year or so. I kinda switched to L3 as my 2buss limiter when I got it. Today I did a A/B test and Timeworks is the 100% winner here. You can get it really loud and the drums are still kicking through. Mix sounds bigger and way better than with any waves limiter.

I'll skip the UAD-1 limiter for now. I'll invest rather into Fairchild.

Purusha

[BackHand]

Originally Posted by Purusha

I completely forgot about the Timeworks Mastering Limiter which I have a year or so. I kinda switched to L3 as my 2buss limiter when I got it. Today I did a A/B test and Timeworks is the 100% winner here. You can get it really loud and the drums are still kicking through. Mix sounds bigger and way better than with any waves limiter.

I'll skip the UAD-1 limiter for now. I'll invest rather into Fairchild.

Purusha

Tried to tell ya !

[doogie]

Check out the URS compressors if bus comp is all you're looking for...... if you're bouncing / and or dithering down the L3 is the best.... can't say enpough about the URS stuff

[doogie]

Originally Posted by lawrence_o

Guys, I do apologize already for the following:

I read a lot of critics on the waves L3 or L2. Well, I used to share that opinion until I watched the DVD that comes with the waves bundle in where they actually teach you HOW TO USE them!

I don't have that crushed up sound anymore where all the reverb and effects are 10 times more audible due to exagurated compressing/limiting!

Use the L3 gently and it'll sound bloody great.

Actually, what I do now is just put my mix through the SSL into the Prisms ADA-8 and put it loud enough to have the Prism's limiters kick in now and then.

I then gently apply the L3 just to have maximum volume.

I know most mastering engineers master at -0,3db but I don't really give a ... I go to -0.01 and never had any problems on TV, Radio or any CD player.

The only thing is that people have been asking me a few times now how come my mixes seem louder then the others? Well, now you know.


Small remark though: Although I disagree the L2 L3 are useless, NOTHING beats the real deal i.e. the hardware comps/Limiters.

Kind regards
Lawrence.

what settings?? or pre sets do you start with?

[NathanEldred]

Originally Posted by Purusha

I completely forgot about the Timeworks Mastering Limiter which I have a year or so. I kinda switched to L3 as my 2buss limiter when I got it. Today I did a A/B test and Timeworks is the 100% winner here. You can get it really loud and the drums are still kicking through. Mix sounds bigger and way better than with any waves limiter.

thumbsup thumbsup

[Trailerman]

Originally Posted by NathanEldred

If you can do windows DX, I've found the Sonic Timeworks Mastering Limiter to be the best, much better than Waves in the clarity dept IMO.

Totally forgot about the Sonic Timeworks LImiter - I have it too and you're right it's superb. Only problem is, I haven't been able to use DirectX plugins for a couple of years now.

If only they'd port they're stuff to AU or TDM or RTAS or something - perhaps we can start a petition

Their Linear Phase EQ is awesome too - cost me a fortune and a month later I swithed to Mac

I think they got so pissed off with their stuff being cracked, they gave up on plugins altogether - real shame. One of the best plugin developers around.

[Audio1420]

The L3 is great you just can't slam stuff through it or it kills your sound...

[smarsland]

So far, I'm loving my hardware L2. I have used it on a few projects and I am impressed. Don't overuse. My two clients were impressed also.

s

[RainbowStorm]

I have compared the Sonic Timeworks Mastering Compressor with the Waves L2 Limiter and I instantly found a winner, I even asked my brother which he thought was the better of the two and he also thought the Waves L2 limiter was the best sounding. The Sonic Timeworks Mastering Compressor was really not very good at keeping the ceiling tight. Pushing it above 7 dB of limiting caused serious distortion on the mix I tried! This plus the fact that the IDR Ultra dithering algorithm in the L2 is really good makes the L2 a clear winner and a much better purchase. Distortion is always a problem with hard limiting, but the L2's tight ceiling makes it possible to push a song much further than many other limiters. I don't think that's a good thing, but it enables mixers to push certain instruments hard without causing serious damage to the mix. So I think a good way of using the L2 is to choose one dominant element in the mix to push hard with the L2 limiter and limit the mix bus only a few dB... In that way the distortion becomes less noticable but the mix is loud enough. I have found the IDR Ultra dithering algorithm to be much better sounding than the UV22HR... The Waves L2 is not bad for being a software plug-in and I'm sure the hardware version is even better...

[NathanEldred]

Originally Posted by TonyCrazyMan

The Sonic Timeworks Mastering Compressor was really not very good at keeping the ceiling tight. Pushing it above 7 dB of limiting caused serious distortion on the mix I tried!

Did you slow the release a bit? It's essential to avoiding that distortion that you hear.

[Bang]

Originally Posted by BackHand

I had a Limiter shoot out with: Precision Limiter (UA), L3, L2, Tls Limiter and the Sonic Timeworks Mastering Compressor.

I hate the L3..it's eaven worse than the L2...EVERYTHING sounds changed...the sonic "enhancer" of all the Waves limiters totally twists everything around ..hate it...the PRecision Limiter did great with acoustic soft music as Jazz and such...but tight dense rock mixes wassen't it's charm...the Tls Limiter (wich is free by the way !!!!!) did a great job on all kinds of audio material, very transparant! My favourite was though the Timeworks Mastering Compressor...especially music with a lot of punchy drums! No limiter was eaven close to the Timeworks Mastering Compressor was of NOT crusching the attacks of kicks and snares..try it nad buy it ! Or else, get the Tls Limiter..it's great..and the value..well...crazy !

I've been raving about the Timeworks for years. It imparts SOME clipping but who cares, it sounds good and keeps drum punch like no other. Even L2 at -2 wipes away that tremendous snare punch you workes so hard on getting. If more pro mastering engineers used it, commercial CDs would sound better!

[Bang]

Originally Posted by TonyCrazyMan

I have compared the Sonic Timeworks Mastering Compressor with the Waves L2 Limiter and I instantly found a winner, I even asked my brother which he thought was the better of the two and he also thought the Waves L2 limiter was the best sounding. The Sonic Timeworks Mastering Compressor was really not very good at keeping the ceiling tight. Pushing it above 7 dB of limiting caused serious distortion on the mix I tried! This plus the fact that the IDR Ultra dithering algorithm in the L2 is really good makes the L2 a clear winner and a much better purchase. Distortion is always a problem with hard limiting, but the L2's tight ceiling makes it possible to push a song much further than many other limiters. I don't think that's a good thing, but it enables mixers to push certain instruments hard without causing serious damage to the mix. So I think a good way of using the L2 is to choose one dominant element in the mix to push hard with the L2 limiter and limit the mix bus only a few dB... In that way the distortion becomes less noticable but the mix is loud enough. I have found the IDR Ultra dithering algorithm to be much better sounding than the UV22HR... The Waves L2 is not bad for being a software plug-in and I'm sure the hardware version is even better...

The buzzer sounded when you said "pushed to 7db". Thats way too hard to push any digital limiter. Make your mix loud enough with serial compression or a/d converter clipping so that it only needs 3 db of limiting. I agree with you that IDR Ultra is better then UV22 which I used for years. So I do use the L2 with NO limiting just for the dithering.

[C.Lambrechts]

Limiters suck. But are sometimes needed. If you need a limiter to make it sound better or louder or punchier or whatever other excuse you can think of to use one, remix the song.