Or use the Sonitus compressor's limit function or use a freeware limiter like George Yohng's W1 limiter.

how does boost 11 look more or less like a compressor?

It functions in a similar way to other limiters- gain and ceiling


It's not ancient either and who cares what a plugin looks like?

Paul P


Unless I'm missing something (a great possibility) there doesn't appear to be a limiter in X2. Well, there is something that looks like one, but it's looks so outdated I don't dare touch it. Since a limiter is about the only thing that can protect your ears and your speakers against all manner of problems (not to say bugs), you'd think that it would be high on the list of must-haves. X2 gives me all manner of fancy compressors, chorus's and the like, but no limiter ?
 
And the limiter that Cakewalk sells for the PC is like a third of the price I paid for my entire setup.  Does that make sense ?

Compressors are limiters... or is it the other way around? Anyway, you can set a compressor to act as a limiter by using a high ratio and a hard knee. Here's an image of the Sonitus compressor I quickly set up to act as a limiter. Adjust as you see (hear) fit.






Click the plugin to make sure it has the focus and press F1 to see the help menu for it. Here is what it says about its limiting function:


"Limiter toggle
Toggles the built-in peak limiter on/off.
States: On or Off
When you adjust the gain so that the output level exceeds 0dB, the limiter will automatically attenuate the peaks to a safe non-clipping level. This means that you can safely boost the output gain by up to 30dB without any fear of clipping distortion. You can even use fx:compressor only as a limiter, if no compression is applied.
When the limiter is disabled, the signal will be clipped rather than limited."

Boost 11 is a peak limiter. It is one of the mastering plug ins that comes with Sonar. I think it works pretty well. There is a limiter button built into the Sonitus compressor. If you don't like those options and if you would like a new limiter. Look at some of the free VST effects out on the web. One of my favorite sets of free vst dynamic plug ins are the Kjaerhus plug ins. They have a good limiter. Or try the beta bug limiter


http://www.acoustica.com/plugins/vst-directx.htm

http://www.betabugsaudio.com/plugs.php



can't get first link to work, but it will work if you copy and paste. hmmm well sorry about that. but the limiter is there for free if you want to try it. copy and paste the first link. 

I believe Betabugs just wrap a GUI around http://www.yohng.com/software/w1limit.html If you want knobs on the limiter an FX chain will do the same thing adding input and output level meters.

Another free option http://vladgsound.wordpress.com/plugins/limiter6/

Chappel


Compressors are limiters... or is it the other way around?

Thanks Chappel, I'm realizing this very quickly.
 

Chappel


 

 
Here's the one I was talking about.  It's the cakewalk logo that scared me  
  
 
  
 
Message to Scott :  may I suggest you put a "limiter" entry into the index of your next power book

Thanks to you all for the different options.  As you can tell I don't know what I'm talking about.  I tend to use X2 late at night when everyone is asleep so I use closed headphones (Sennheiser MX280HD) and am always afraid of receiving a blast that'll blow my brains out (some DimPro comments were cause for worry).

scook


I believe Betabugs just wrap a GUI around http://www.yohng.com/software/w1limit.html If you want knobs on the limiter an FX chain will do the same thing adding input and output level meters.

Another free option http://vladgsound.wordpress.com/plugins/limiter6/

Scook that vladgsound limiter looks great. What are your impressions of this limiter? Do you use it? Great link! thanks for posting that.

I have used George Yohng's the most (wrapped it in an FX chain when X1 Expanded came out). I would still be using it were it not for the sale on the ProChannel Limiter and recently buying FabFilter Pro-L. In truth, I have not spent much time with Liniter6 or Molot03 but first impression was they were pretty nice. With the full set of ProChannel modules and FabFilter stuff, I have stopped messing around with much else and settled down to learn the ones that I have paid for.

Lots of people on this forum say Toneboosters make a nice one that is inexpensive. But it does have significant latency. This is where the Concrete Limiter really stands out.

I was looking around the Gearslutz forums the other day and it is very interesting over there. There are jusrt as many useless know-it-alls as any other forum but mixed amongst them are some obviously very talented and repsected professionals.

Several of them were saying the best limiter these days is one called the Nugen ISL- but I think that sort of thing is for the hardcore people who are doing post production on major films etc.