1. Arturia Bus PEAK
Bus Peak is a good choice for musicians looking for a limiter and a clipper in the same package with its easy-to-use, straightforward design.
The first thing I must say about Bus Peak is its intuitive user interface. It features a soundwave graph with a blue and a purple line. The purple line sets the Threshold for clipping, and the blue sets t for the limit. On the left, you have the Input Gain control, and there is the indicator on top of the graph, which shows where the plugin is limiting and where it is clipping. On the bottom, you have the Knee and Color for the clipper and the Release and Color for the limiter. And that’s it! The plugin does the rest.
I like how transparent this plugin is; it does not add harmonics, transients, or any kind of character to the sound. So, it is great for projects where you must maximize the loudness without adding anything to the mix. That is why I prefer this one for mastering channels, in general.
What I like about the plugin besides its user-friendly design is that it has these little details like soloing sections to hear what the limiter and clipper do, True Peak Limiting to control the inter-sample peaks that sometimes sneak through the mix, Oversampling, Equal Loudness for unity gain. I often do not use these except oversampling, but I think having them under your pocket is nice.
So, to summarize, I think Bus Peak is a pretty good limiter and clipper, although it is a bit pricey. It does not give you much control, but it is great for music producers who are not experienced in using limiters or clippers so that they can get the job done without making things too complicated.
Bus Peak is available for Mac and Windows in VST, AAX, Audio Unit, and NKS formats.
2. PluginBoutique PeakLimit
One-plugin-for-all type of limiters are quite soni chameleons that come in handy on many different occasions. PeakLimit is just like that, providing great performance for mastering, bus, or instrument group channels.
The first thing I noticed when I used PeakLimit was the amount of options it had for finetuning your mix. It features 4 Limiter style settings, including Lucid, Warm, Punch, and Bright, along with Transient control options with Soft, Hard, and Transparent, as well as 50 presets to choose from.
This makes the plugin quite useful as you can maximize the loudness of your mix and get it ready for commercial release by using it on the master channel or use the plugin to add character and punch to individual instruments.
I have to talk about the plugin's 4-limit style. The Lucid is the transparent mode, which is great for mastering channels when you don’t want any color in your sound.
The Punch mode emphasizes the dynamics for a punchy sound. So, this mode is great for single tracks to make them stand out in the mix.
Warm mode emphasizes the low-end frequencies for a warmer and deeper tone. Finally, the Bright mode gives brightness to the sound, making the high-end frequencies shine. Depending on your mix and the tone you are after, you can use these two for instrument groups or buses.
Also, I like the plugin's controls as it gives you adaptive release control, Lookahead, and sensitivity parameters, as well as real-time displays of RMS metering and Gain reduction with real-time LUFS, RMS, and Peak gain values.
So, if you want an all-rounder kind of Limiter without breaking the bank, I recommend PluginBoutique PeakLimit.
PluginBoutique PeakLimit is available in VST, VST3, AU, AAX, and as a Standalone app for Mac and Windows.
3. SSL X-Limit
Solid State Logic is one of my favorite plugin makers, and their X-Limit would be a great choice for tracks and buses with its transparent sound, making them sound larger and more dynamic.
I want to start by complimenting the beautiful user interface SSL created for X-Limit. You have one screen to monitor incoming audio, processes applied, and outgoing audio. Underneath it are the usual suspects for control, such as gain, threshold, and ceiling. Plus, it features Transparent, Glue, Punch, and Auto modes for different flavors.
I must say all modes sound pretty transparent, but my favorite one was the Punch, as it made the drum track sound much more dynamic and larger without coloring the sound. The Punch is the one with the most color, but it still sits on the transparent side to my ear.
The Auto mode is another one I like because it uses synths and orchestral arrangements. It sounds just like the Transparent mode, but the threshold and the ceiling transitions were smoother.
So, although it is a bit pricey plugin, I would suggest X-Limit, especially for drum tracks, to make them stand out in the mix and sound big.
X-Limit comes in VST, ST3, AU, and AAX formats for macOS and Windows
4. Newfangled Audio ELEVATE
If you want more than just a limiter and are looking for an advanced mastering plug-in, Elevate is the way to go with its all-in-one unique multi-band limiter, human-ear EQ, and powerful audio maximizer.
Elevate is one of the most complete mastering plugins I have ever used. It uses an adaptive limiter to listen and examine 26 frequency bands to adjust each band's speed, transients, and gain, all in real time. And my favorite part of this plugin is that even if you push it to the limit, it protects the natural sound.
I found the user interface to be okay but a bit complicated. You have a screen for 6 different types of metering and controls for adaptive gain, speed, transient, and shape. But what I like here is that you don’t really have to get into the controls, as the plugin automatically analyzes the mix and sets the controls accordingly. And it does quite a successful job.
To better understand the workflow, you have to understand the bands and their role. So there are 8 bands that I find as the key ones. 0, as always, is used for tamping down the rumble. 50 is the zone of the kick; increase it for more punch and decrease it for less. 100 is the low-end bass region, while 200 is higher up on the bass. 400 is the area where you can take out the mud from the mix. So, decreasing this would be great if your mix is muddy. 800 is where you can adjust the meat in the tone. For higher frequencies, the key points are 1400, 2500, and 5000 to make the adjustments.
You can manipulate these bands as you like, limit, or clip them, which gives you huge control over your sound. You can solo bands or draw curves to emphasize different frequency bands or instruments.
My workflow’s final steps with Elevate are with transient adjustments. The last is clipper adjustments, which is probably the best part of the plugin. It sounds quite incredible, and the adjustments can be done in a very short time.
I think Elevate is an amazing-sounding all-in-one EQ, limiter, and clipper to make your mixes stand out. It is a bit pricey, but I recommend it to save time and make your mixes shine.
Elevate is available for Windows and Mac users in AAX, AU, VST, and VST3 formats.
5. Brainworx bx_limiter True Peak
Another great limiter is True Peak, which has a full set of controls to signal dynamics to master your tracks professionally.
Talking about True Peak, I have to start with its exceptional metering section. It features a peak and RMS meter combined, dynamic range meters, a gain reduction meter for individual channels, stereo balance and correlation meters, and finally, a meter for loudness. I loved that you can switch between momentary and short-term in this section to analyze partitions better.
It also provides an option to isolate mid, right, and left channels or to flip the stereo signal fully. Furthermore, you can adjust all of them to signal output or input signals.
After analyzing every detail of your mix on the monitor, you can start adjusting the knobs, which are also plenty. As I said, you take full control over mastering with this plugin. It has a modern and classic limiter mode, gain, release, XL, and ceiling knobs as usual, as well as a pre-limiter for high- and low-pass as well as tonal weighting. Finally, it features a channel link, limiter mix, and output dim for final adjustments.
Although it is a bit pricey, True Peak is for professionals who want to play with every detail when mastering their mixes. I would not recommend this one to beginners for its price and complexity. But, for experienced producers, this plugin offers quite a lot.
Truepeak comes in AAX DSP, AAX Native, AU, VST2, and VST3 formats for Mac and Windows.
6. BUTE Limiter 2
Producers searching for high fidelity, ultra-transparent True Peak Brickwall limiting should check Bute Limiter 2 with its high value-for-money design.
The star of the show for Bute Limiter 2 is the Signum Audios novel overshoot-proof brick wall limiting algorithm. When I tried the plugin, I was impressed with how transparent the mix sounds, the smooth gain reduction, and the natural sound. The plugin features 5 different release curves to try out to find the one for your mix. They make sure that your mix is smooth and natural, even with heavy limits.
On the control panel, you have the standard Pre-Gain, Post-Gain, and automatic Max Target controls, along with a warning system for Post-Gain overshoots. This way, you can immediately see any audio issues.
There is not much to tell about Limiter 2 besides that it is a simple yet highly effective limiter, especially for the mastering part. Its transparency and smoothness, combined with its price tag, make this the most cost-effective option on the list.
Limiter 2 comes in VST, AU, and AAX formats for Mac and Windows.
7. FabFilter Pro-L 2
FabFilter Pro-L 2 has been the number 1 choice for most audio engineers and producers regarding limiters. And that is for a reason.
FabFilter Pro-L 2 has been a staple for my mixing and mastering workflows. It features 9 limiting algorithms, True Peak limiter, 32x linear-phase oversampling, and loudness metering, which check all the boxes you expect from a limiter.
Maybe it’s because I’m used to it, but I love the true peak level meters and extensive loudness metering of the plugin. Its unique real-time display allows you to see all the information on the board without complicating things.
It has Lookahead, Attack, Release, and smart Channel Linking controls with Transients and Release. However, the best part is the eight algorithms that cover all the mixing and mastering limiter needs.
The transparent style is the best for me as it prevents coloration and pumping. I use it mainly for mastering channels. Punchy is for pumping sound, which I prefer for single tracks. You can use Dynamic style when you want to preserve detail and punch, and all-round is the balance mode for transparency and loudness.
The next algorithm is Modern for high transparency even with high loudness. Aggressive is almost like clipping, and the Bus style gives a pumping sound, which I like to use for drums. Also, there is the Safe mode for acoustic elements, which gives a distortion-free output.
I can honestly say that I think this is the best-sounding plugin on the list. Plus, it is quite versatile in terms of sound. The only con of the plugin is its price tag, which is why I would recommend this only to professional audio engineers and producers with a high budget.
FabFilter Pro-L 2 is available in VST, VST3, AU, AAX Native, and AudioSuite formats for Windows and Mac.
How to use a limiter to increase loudness?
There are different ways to use a limiter to maximize the volume. I use it mainly on the mastering chain or the group bus. Basically, you can adjust the ceiling level and increase the input gain to make the mix louder without losing integrity.
- Mastering: One of the most common ways to use a limiter is to use it in the mastering chain. You can increase the input gain while adjusting the ceiling level to maximize loudness. But, try not to overdo it as the result will be a loss of dynamics and increased perceived overall loudness.
- Group Bus: When using buses for multiple instruments, the overall volume sometimes gets to undesired levels. So you can use a limiter on the bus to control the peaks. You can add a bit of gain to increase the loudness of quiet parts while keeping the peaks under control.
What is the best setting for a limiter?
To understand the best setting parameters for a limiter, you must know about the controls. There are 4 main controls on a limiter, including Ceiling, Gain, Attack, and Release.
The ceiling decides the maximum level at which the limiter will give output. The ceiling is typically set to 0.0 dB or 0.1 dBFS for mastering channels. For instrument or bus channels, you can set it as you like, but it is advised to keep it between -1 and -0.3 dBFS. A trick I use to find the right Gain level is to loop the busiest part of the track and raise the gain slowly to the point that I hear the first hints of distortion. From that point, I will return to around 0.5 dB, and that’s the spot.
The Gain controls the volume input going to the limiter. So, keeping the ceiling level stable on the output and increasing the Gain on the input will increase the overall volume of the mix. But, it will lead you to lose dynamics, so you have to be careful.
The Attack controls the speed at which the limiter reacts to the input signal and sets the limit. I often use the Attack as fast as possible and then start to lower it to find the balance between clean sound and strong transients. A mix with a slow attack sounds distorted, but it keeps the transients sharp.
The Release decides how long the limiter will be active after the input level drops down from the ceiling level. Just like the Attack control, the Release level is also about finding the sweet spot. Too fast release will result in distorted sound and pumping effects, while too slow release will cause loss of dynamics and loudness your limiter can add to the mix. So, start with a fast Release level and slowly go down to find the sweet spot.
Some limiters have extra features like modes. If that is the case, you must read the manual to learn what they do or simply experiment with them to find the right one for your mix.
And do not forget that your limiter should be the last module in your signal chain. For mastering, make everything ready with your effects chain and mix. And use the limiter as the last step of the mix.
Last Words
All these limiters on the list are among the best limiters you can find today. Each comes for different budgets and purposes. They are all for Komplete Kontrol, which is great for organizing the workflow.
For the sonic quality and versatility, I would suggest FabFilter Pro-L 2, while for a cost-effective option, I would go for Bute Limiter 2. For an all-rounder option, I suggest PluginBoutique PeakLimit and Arturia Bus PEAK for a clipper-limiter all-in-one package.
Newfangled Audio ELEVATE is for those who want to solve all the mastering needs in one plugin. SSL X-Limit is a great choice for drums, and finally, Brainworx bx_limiter True Peak is for control freaks who want to master their mixes by controlling every aspect.
Hope you found this article helpful and enjoy these plugins in your workflow.