This is normally somewhere between -1 and -0.1 dBFS. Essentially, you set the ceiling value which the absolute highest you want your signal to peak. The most common type of limiter is what we call the brickwall limiter. Pushing a limiter too hard at the end can sometimes sound crappy. If it sounds good it is good, but more experienced engineers prefer to boost loudness and perceived loudness as much as possible before the mix bus, on individual elements and groups. One way engineers like to use a limiter is to increase the overall loudness of a mix at the very end, but whether that’s the best use of them is debatable. Usually, though, we talk about limiting the mix bus, and limiter plugins universally round out a mastering chain. Limiters tend to be used on buses, such as a vocal bus where performances can sometimes peak wildly. They also do this transparently, whereas compressors can be colorful. But instead of processing the entire signal like a regular compressor, a limiter’s primary job is to prevent signals from going past a chosen ceiling. The general consensus defines a limiter as a compressor with a ratio of at least 10:1, going all the way to infinity. Here is a modest sample of 10 of the best limiter plugins out there, both free and paid. Limiters are awesome plugins for catching a signal’s highest peaks in a way that doesn’t ruin the overall tonality and balance of an instrument, group, or mix.
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