That's actually a pretty good one among the freebies. Also grab LoudMax and Limiter No. 6 as long as you're experimenting with free plugins.
 
I'd suggest waiting awhile and learning more about the process before investing in a top-tier limiter, so that when the time comes you'll be armed with knowledge to make an informed decision. 

bitflipper
That's actually a pretty good one among the freebies. Also grab LoudMax and Limiter No. 6 as long as you're experimenting with free plugins.
 
I'd suggest waiting awhile and learning more about the process before investing in a top-tier limiter, so that when the time comes you'll be armed with knowledge to make an informed decision. 

Agreed!  I couldn't get the W1 to work.  I did pick up the Loud Max and Limiter No. 6...  As far as my ears can tell - the Blue Tubes Master Limiter sounds better on the track I plugged it into than the LoudMax, but who knows...  I could get similar read-outs on my free analyzer..  Haven't delved into No. 6 - there's a lot there...
 
Are the Top-Tier ones really better?

Yes, they are. But all of them give you enough rope to hang yourself with if you don't understand what it is you're trying to accomplish, how to go about getting there, and what compromises will be required in the process. It's not a small subject.
 
 But if you want quick results with minimal learning curve, Ozone can't be beat. Even that one's not a walk in the park, but IMO is the best bet for beginners because so much of what it does is unseen, under the hood.

For Limiting, I would strongly recommend looking into this:
 
http://www.toneboosters.com/free/
 
basically you can get it for $5 if you buy a digital version of their current magazine, then go to the vault website they show in the magazine (enter specific question information to prove that you have the magazine) and then download it.
 
 

If you sign up for Computer Music on Google Play/Newstand, Google Play/Newstand gives you a 30 day trial for free.
So just sign up then cancel your subscription before the 30 days and you keep the issue and the vault for that issue.
I did it. Then I ended up resubscribing when they had the $1.00/month holiday offer.

NeoSoul
For Limiting, I would strongly recommend looking into this:
 
http://www.toneboosters.com/free/
 
basically you can get it for $5 if you buy a digital version of their current magazine, then go to the vault website they show in the magazine (enter specific question information to prove that you have the magazine) and then download it.
 
 

Thanks - I might just do that...
 
 

bitflipper
Yes, they are. But all of them give you enough rope to hang yourself with if you don't understand what it is you're trying to accomplish, how to go about getting there, and what compromises will be required in the process. It's not a small subject.
 
 But if you want quick results with minimal learning curve, Ozone can't be beat. Even that one's not a walk in the park, but IMO is the best bet for beginners because so much of what it does is unseen, under the hood.

What would be your opinion of the best...  I'm not interested in minimal learning curve - I'm fine with a big learning curve and lots of practice... (I understand that's very subjective.  Just curious)

mikebeam
What would be your opinion of the best...  I'm not interested in minimal learning curve - I'm fine with a big learning curve and lots of practice... (I understand that's very subjective.  Just curious)

At this point, Ozone would be the best for you. It contains everything required for mastering, including a mastering limiter.
 
The next choice would be the T-racks mastering suite. It also contains everything you need including a mastering Limiter.
 
If you only want a mastering limiter, get one of the free ones mentioned, prefer: Limiter #6.
 
The best non-free are FabFilter, Voxengo, IK Multimedia.
 
The internet is full of video resources on mastering. Watch as many videos as you can. Groove 3 also has a good series on mastering. Watch the videos then try applying these techniques to your recordings.

mikedocy
If you sign up for Computer Music on Google Play/Newstand, Google Play/Newstand gives you a 30 day trial for free.
So just sign up then cancel your subscription before the 30 days and you keep the issue and the vault for that issue.
I did it. Then I ended up resubscribing when they had the $1.00/month holiday offer.

wow, I certainly would have subscribed for $1/month.  Now I just pick them up periodically as they add something interesting.  Excellent resource for quality plugins.

The "best" mastering suite for any particular user depends on a lot of factors.  That's why you ought to try several solutions to see which one best fits your needs.  
 
I'll agree that the latest version of Ozone is certainly a contender for "best" in a lot of situations.  Very hard to beat it with anything with a reasonable price.  It's easy enough to get started with, and deep enough to do just about anything you'll ever need.  The other suites mentioned above are worth a look, since you may prefer those.  Never hurts to try other things.
 
Cheers,
Eddie
 

Does anyone know if the Concrete Limiter is good for this?