Limiter
Transparent stereo true-peak limiter for low-latency output protection
Parameters
| Parameter | Range | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Ceiling | -18.0 – 0.0 dBTP | -1.0 dBTP |
| Release | 20 – 1000 ms | 120 ms |
Overview
Limiter is a transparent final peak ceiling for a live rig. Place it after the amp, cabinet, compressor, and every other effect that can change level, with only the Output node after it. Any gain added downstream can exceed the chosen ceiling.
The device looks ahead by 1 ms and detects reconstructed stereo peaks at 4x resolution. It applies one shared gain envelope to both channels, preserving the stereo image. It never adds makeup gain: below Ceiling it is a unity-gain path whose only change is the reported 1 ms latency.
Ceiling sets the maximum intended true peak. Lower values cause more limiting. Release controls how quickly attenuation returns to unity after a peak. Very short releases recover quickly but may sound gritty on bass or low guitar notes.
Mix, Input, and Output controls are intentionally unavailable. A dry blend or gain after the limiter would defeat its protection. Ordinary bypass remains available and is latency-aligned by the audio engine.
Limiter or compressor?
A post-amp compressor controls perceived differences between clean, crunch, and driven sounds. Limiter has a narrower job: catch exceptional attacks, boosts, feedback onset, and scene changes before they reach the output. Use a compressor for musical level balance and Limiter as the final safety ceiling.
Watch Gain Reduction while playing. Occasional 1–3 dB movement is normal and should be difficult to hear. It should usually return to 0 dB; sustained deep reduction means the signal before Limiter is too hot or Ceiling is set too low.
Parameters
| Parameter | Range | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Ceiling | -18 – 0 dBTP | -1 dBTP |
| Release | 20 – 1000 ms | 120 ms |