When it comes to mastering, limiters are often one of the most important tools for making your music louder and tighter. Since limiters have a lot in common with compressors, you may find similar parameters such as attack, threshold or release. In this article, we suggest several plugins that are considered the best in 2024!
Sonible smart:limit
Sonible plugins are characterized by “smart features”. This means that smart:limit automatically analyzes the audio material and sets the appropriate parameters. However, you can also make changes manually here. In addition to the limiting parameters, there are also additional functions of saturation, frequency balancing and “bass control”. This means you can change much more audio material than you can with conventional limiters.
The plugin is certified for transparent audio and also features full volume monitoring. The volume can be adjusted according to different specifications and references and thus adapt to different music styles and standards (eg streaming services).
FabFilter Pro-L 2
FabFilter Pro-L 2 impresses with eight different algorithms, each with its own style. In addition, there are many other very useful features. These include an external sidechain trigger or a unit boost, making it easier to appreciate the sonic effect of the limiter.
One of the functions is true peak measurement, as well as loudness measurement with different standards. Surround sound up to Dolby Atmos 7.1.2 is also supported. Up to 32x oversampling and adjustable anti-aliasing also ensure the best audio quality. When it comes to the best limiters, the FabFilter Pro-L 2 is without a doubt.
Tokyo Dawn Labs TDR Limiter 6 GE
You may have already noticed that on this list of the best limiters there are plugins that are more than just volume limiters. TDR Limiter 6 GE definitely belongs to this variety, since it includes several more modules. In addition to the peak limiter, you can count on a compressor, an additional high-frequency limiter, and an output volume protection limiter. And this plugin is complemented by True Peak and EBU measurements.
Individual modules can be arranged in any order, which is also nice. The limiter itself offers a switchable multi-band mode, in which the limiter operates on three frequency bands. The bottom line is that with the Tokyo Dawn Labs TDR Limiter 6 GE you get a whole suite of dynamics editing tools.
Sonnox Oxford Limiter Native
This limiter is also designed to achieve higher volume without creating pumping or unnecessary distortion. The Enhance section helps you increase the perceived loudness of your mix even further. Dithering and noise shaping (four types) are among the features of this plugin. In addition to the auto gain feature, you can also count on a true peak measurement section.
— See also: iZotope Trash – re-release of the distortion plugin with new features! —
iZotope Ozone
Thanks to the Maximizer and Vintage Limiter modules, you can compress any audio material, but this package also contains many other important modules that are very effective in mixing and especially in mastering. Equalizer, exciter and other modules are part of the basic equipment in standard and extended versions.
Newfangled Audio Elevate Bundle
There are four tools in this mastering package, all of which take very interesting approaches. The focus is on Elevate, an adaptive multi-band limiter that handles 26 filter bands simultaneously. However, the transients of the percussion elements should be preserved as much as possible to convey transparency and not affect the overall mix. For each filter band, the plugin automatically adjusts the attack and release parameters.
— See also: SPL presented Vitalizer Mk3-T and MixDream XP Mk2 —
It is also interesting that the selected filter bands were “modeled” after human hearing using linear phase filters based on the Chalk scale. For a slightly more aggressive sound, activate the spectral limiter. In addition to a limiter, clipper and multi-band transient processing, there’s even a 26-band equalizer included. Extensive measurement functions are not lacking either. Elevate is quite complex and requires a bit of a learning curve.
Other recommended limiters
- Nugen Audio ISL. Available in two versions, it features an adaptive algorithm that supports common broadcast standards.
- Waves L1 Ultramaximizer is already quite old, but the manufacturer constantly provides updates. L1 has been part of the industry standard for a long time and is still quite interesting.
- PSP Xenon operates at two levels and has additional features such as equalizer, complex measurement or various transient recording options. The plugin also supports sampling rates up to 192 kHz and offers dithering options.
