Your Favorite Limiter Plugin?

[4130]

Another "vote" for the TC Electronic Brickwall Limiter.

[Johnny Paez]

Originally Posted by Lagerfeldt

The 2022 is a preamp and while you can saturate it for some self-compression (in theory) I wouldn't use it for that purpose. Maybe you're thinking of the 2044 which is a compressor. I've used the 2044 on a couple of albums. It's very nice, especially the bass sounds tight to me. The controls are a little fiddly and hard to recall later so I didn't keep it.

Yes sorry I was talking about 2044, well thanks!!

[Cloudsplitter]

I'm going for the Flux also......their stuff is so nice and clean.....remarkable.....but there is a learning curve.

[Sensorychaos]

I love my Precision UAD limiter.

[Jonathan Race]

What is it about the elephant that makes it so popular?

[Fireflake]

Flux here as well

[Cellotron]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Race

What is it about the elephant that makes it so popular?

For me it's that relative to other options it's easier to not overly soften transients (particularly in the midrange) with it, while still not inducing the same amount of distortion you would get from this quick release that you find happens with many other limiters. It also has a number of controls which allow fine tuning of its response that actually work well. As always - ymmv - but there is in fact a free demo available on the Voxengo website that allows you to check it out for yourself.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

[huejahfink]

Jonathan,

When I was in the market for a digital limiter to partner my TC Brickwall, I road tested a sizeable number of them.
I have tried iZotope, PSP, Slate FG-X, Sonnox, T-Racks, Voxengo, Roger Nicholls, Waves (most of them) and probably a few others that I forgot.

Elephant strikes me as having an excellent balance between great sound quality and flexibility.

It is capable of so many different styles of limiting, from a very gentle 'levelling amp' style, through round and full bodied, sharp and aggressive, and from tight short-release brickwalls to oversampled clipping.

The metering is also comprehensive and very flexible, and I found the graphic feedback very useful in getting to understand how the different modes effect the release and gain riding.

I have not since tried Fabfilter or Brainworx offerings, but I am certainly happy enough with Elephant and the TC Brickwall at the moment to not really warrant considering another purchase just yet.

[macc]

Originally Posted by huejahfink

It is capable of so many different styles of limiting, from a very gentle 'levelling amp' style, through round and full bodied, sharp and aggressive, and from tight short-release brickwalls to oversampled clipping.

Nicely put

[tonioprod]

Flux for me as well. I just love their dynamic plugs.

[Jonathan Race]

Originally Posted by huejahfink

Jonathan,

When I was in the market for a digital limiter to partner my TC Brickwall, I road tested a sizeable number of them.
I have tried iZotope, PSP, Slate FG-X, Sonnox, T-Racks, Voxengo, Roger Nicholls, Waves (most of them) and probably a few others that I forgot.

Elephant strikes me as having an excellent balance between great sound quality and flexibility.

It is capable of so many different styles of limiting, from a very gentle 'levelling amp' style, through round and full bodied, sharp and aggressive, and from tight short-release brickwalls to oversampled clipping.

The metering is also comprehensive and very flexible, and I found the graphic feedback very useful in getting to understand how the different modes effect the release and gain riding.

I have not since tried Fabfilter or Brainworx offerings, but I am certainly happy enough with Elephant and the TC Brickwall at the moment to not really warrant considering another purchase just yet.

Thanks for the feedback, just got the demo now so will have a listen for myself!

[Hawkeye]

Waves SSL 4000

[diogo_c]

Originally Posted by jducci

Waves SSL 4000

Nice plug - except from the fact that its not a limiter...

BTW, this guy has released some of limiters which seem to be getting some rave on the new software product board. Anyone tried those?

[wildpark]

98% of all so called pro plugins are crap and waste of time.

LAWO made a good plugin bundle,you have defently have too check out.

[engmix]

Originally Posted by Lagerfeldt

Limiting is almost always a compromise and I rarely limit more than about 3 dB. If loudness is paramount I combine it with clipping earlier in the chain before going outboard (which avoids clipping into RMS territory and offers some transient control before compression - despite some DAC waveform reconstruction, potential distortion build-up, and the inherent counterproductiveness of clipping early, it still has its advantages) or I clip at the end of the chain. Or all three, God forgive me.

I find that running uber / clipping hot signals into my analog chain can at times compromise the tone of what i'm working on. Sort of a buckling under pressure kinda thing. Obviously this is somewhat program dependent, but was wondering if you have your gear modified to handle that kind of input.

[floydisbest]

Massey 2007 also. Gotta love that simple interface and great 'sound' results!

Although I would like to get to know Flux on a more personal level, it looks like it takes a little more time to learn.

[Retinal]

Pro-L fan here, big time

[Lagerfeldt]

Originally Posted by engmix

I find that running uber / clipping hot signals into my analog chain can at times compromise the tone of what i'm working on. Sort of a buckling under pressure kinda thing. Obviously this is somewhat program dependent, but was wondering if you have your gear modified to handle that kind of input.

That's because you're assuming that the clipping is performed by raising the level. That would indeed cause problems with the headroom of the analog chain. That's not what I'm doing, I'm clipping by lowering a threshold function, basically like you would limit without auto gain engaged.

Anyway, clipping is a compromise in itself and clipping early in the chain has some other side effects, some of which are slightly counterproductive, but that's another story.

I'm working on a mastering clipper plug-in which will hopefully be released in 2011. I can't reveal more at this point but it's a tool I believe many ME's will find useful primarily for workflow reasons, and it's designed by yours truly and programmed by a very talented coder.

[engmix]

Originally Posted by Lagerfeldt

That's because you're assuming that the clipping is performed by raising the level. That would indeed cause problems with the headroom of the analog chain. That's not what I'm doing, I'm clipping by lowering a threshold function, basically like you would limit without auto gain engaged.

Anyway, clipping is a compromise in itself and clipping early in the chain has some other side effects, some of which are slightly counterproductive, but that's another story.

I'm working on a mastering clipper plug-in which will hopefully be released in 2011. I can't reveal more at this point but it's a tool I believe many ME's will find useful primarily for workflow reasons, and it's designed by yours truly and programmed by a very talented coder.

That would make sense, i did have you pegged for level clipping.

I have never been into any of the de-clippers i've used thus far, look forward to checking out your design when it's out.

[Table Of Tone]

Originally Posted by Lagerfeldt

That's because you're assuming that the clipping is performed by raising the level. That would indeed cause problems with the headroom of the analog chain. That's not what I'm doing, I'm clipping by lowering a threshold function, basically like you would limit without auto gain engaged.

Anyway, clipping is a compromise in itself and clipping early in the chain has some other side effects, some of which are slightly counterproductive, but that's another story.

I'm working on a mastering clipper plug-in which will hopefully be released in 2011. I can't reveal more at this point but it's a tool I believe many ME's will find useful primarily for workflow reasons, and it's designed by yours truly and programmed by a very talented coder.

Good luck with it!
I'm intrigued!

[soundgeezer]

The least destroying limiter I have heard so far is from algorithmix.

[Bob Olhsson]

Each limiter screws something different up. Lately I try several and simply go with the one that does the least musical harm.

[feck]

Originally Posted by Bob Olhsson

Each limiter screws something different up. Lately I try several and simply go with the one that does the least musical harm.

Makes sense. Same here.

[Lagerfeldt]

Originally Posted by engmix

I have never been into any of the de-clippers i've used thus far, look forward to checking out your design when it's out.

Thanks, but it's a clipper. Not a de-clipper ;-)

Fact is that most ME's doing modern music are often or occasionally using clipping but very little has been done to improve the workflow and the way it could be integrated in the chain.

[MattGray]

Originally Posted by Lagerfeldt

Thanks, but it's a clipper. Not a de-clipper ;-)

Maybe you could do a 'clipper/de-clipper' bundle

Fact is that most ME's doing modern music are often or occasionally using clipping but very little has been done to improve the workflow and the way it could be integrated in the chain.

how so? just curious to know why/where else you could integrate clipping into the chain besides the last stage before printing?

[macc]

If I have something with large, spurious peaks, I don't mind letting the DAC take a bit of the whack before it reaches the analogue...

Obviously the type of material is important and it doesn't happen often, but if it sounds better than either trying to absorb it later or automating/editing it, then I don't see it as a big deal. Whatever works, works, innit.

[Lagerfeldt]

Originally Posted by MattGray

Maybe you could do a 'clipper/de-clipper' bundle

LOL, well I'm probably going to donate a percentage of the earnings to the Pleasurize Music Foundation instead. Karma.

[playitloudpro]

I have been mixing cheer Music for last ten years which i am sure will get a good laugh from some of you guys. I really like the Izotope ozone suite for my projects

[engmix]

Originally Posted by macc

If I have something with large, spurious peaks, I don't mind letting the DAC take a bit of the whack before it reaches the analogue...

Obviously the type of material is important and it doesn't happen often, but if it sounds better than either trying to absorb it later or automating/editing it, then I don't see it as a big deal. Whatever works, works, innit.

I will as well, but i might also let a limiter take the edge off so to speak before it leaves the D/A. This way i'm not clipping the D/A which in some cases is more noticeable, just depends if it's a kick or a snare etc...

I'm curious as to what Lagerfeldt is using (feel free to chime in ) for clipping before the D/A. I use a few different plugs, but i wonder if there's a dedicated clipper out there that i'm unaware of.

[MattGray]

Originally Posted by macc

If I have something with large, spurious peaks, I don't mind letting the DAC take a bit of the whack before it reaches the analogue...

Obviously the type of material is important and it doesn't happen often, but if it sounds better than either trying to absorb it later or automating/editing it, then I don't see it as a big deal. Whatever works, works, innit.

Well each to their own I guess, generally I find that clipping before processing often brings out some form of unpleasant harmonic distortion. I mean do you like working on mixes that clients have clipped? There are other ways to absorb transients besides clipping them that usually sounds more musical ime.