Limiting/converter soft limiting during mixdown

[Joemamma]

I asked this question in the so much gear forum, but I didn't get many replys on it.
Maybe this trend is different in the rap/hiphop community...

I know engineers who like to cut a few dBs on their mix with the Apogee Rosetta 800 soft limiter. They had good results on their mixes...

How many of you use a limiter/converter like this during mixdown?

What limiter/converter soft limiter would you recommend?

[Stitch333]

"soft limit" on the Apogee gear is more of an over-corrector for the conversion process than it is a limiter in the traditional sense.
A real, outboard limiter or compressor is much more useful on the 2mix.
If you are printing your mixes and are looking for limiter processing on the 2mix, try the Waves L2 hardware. Personally, I find a lot more use with compression than limiting on the 2mix but will always print as opposed to bouncing a mix, in any case.

[PettyCash]

If you could spare the cost, even a Waves MaxxBCL unit would be of interest. Great for limiting, and has awesome converters, all in one complete package.

[B-Muzik]

Yeah thats some serious hardware...I like it tho...Well the specs and reviews...never heard it before but im sure its great! I also like the "Finalizer" as well...

[Joemamma]

Originally Posted by Stitch333

"soft limit" on the Apogee gear is more of an over-corrector for the conversion process than it is a limiter in the traditional sense.

Could someone please elaborate on this?

[Joemamma]

So the soft limiters get no love or what?

[Alex Niedt]

I don't mean to be unhelpful to your thread, but why not let a mastering engineer do this?

[Joemamma]

Originally Posted by Alex Niedt

I don't mean to be unhelpful to your thread, but why not let a mastering engineer do this?

That's what I asked the mix engineers that use this method.
They said it was to have more control over the final product. So when it hits mastering, it is half way mastered already...

[Alex Niedt]

Originally Posted by Joemamma

So when it hits mastering, it is half way mastered already...

That's what doesn't make sense to me. I'd think they would want a professional mastering engineer with higher quality converters/etc. to do ALL the mastering processing. Oh well. Thanks for answering! thumbsup

[Stitch333]

Originally Posted by Joemamma

Could someone please elaborate on this?

While the soft-limit function is, indeed, an analog stage in apogee converters, it is a fixed function that can add 4-6+db and minimize the result of poor recordings (ie: clipping or distortion).
A stand-alone hardware limiter is a compressor type circuit that will at the least have a reduction variable and a gain variable (think manley ELOP). 10:1+ ratio on any compressor and you basically have a limiter...