1 L2 vs. 3 Stacked L2's

[kingtoad]

I think you'd generally get more mileage out of using two different limiters with different characteristics if you plan on stacking limiters. I don't generally find that I can get a cleaner sound by using more than one limiter, but on the occasions I do I tend to use a combination of a very hard limiter or clipper and another with a slower release time.

[ORC]

I'd steer clear of L1, L2, L3, L3 16. The L2 has had its day. Go for something like Voxengo's Elephant, PSP's Xenon, Fabfilter's Pro-L, and or Sonnox. These are all excellent limiters, and each does a different thing well. Or try Limiter 6 while its still shareware.

[Jerry Tubb]

Perhaps more mastering compression in lieu of stacking limiters would do the trick.

JT

[polybonk]

I have had a demo unit of the Maselec MPL-2 here for a week. Now that is a good one to put before a digital limiter.

[StringBean]

I appreciate the responses fellas. I probably should move on from the L2 but it's so easy to throw it on my stereo buss just to get it close! Honestly I think it sounds quite nice if it's barely flicking the needle. I think Mr. Tubb is on it I need to try a real compressor--I always just lump limiter into the compressor category but now that I think about it the limiter is completely chopping the peaks and it makes sense that it starts to really sound bad once you push it. I promise it won't be a multi-band!

[Adam Dempsey]

Originally Posted by StringBean

I always just lump limiter into the compressor category but now that I think about it the limiter is completely chopping the peaks and it makes sense that it starts to really sound bad once you push it.

More to the point, in my view, is that by stacking limiters you're more likely to get to a point where you're eventually punching holes in every single peak rather than perhaps just the odd transient here & there.
Compression's different again – the mix should tell you if it needs deeper dynamic control, added density, etc.