difference between hard limit and compression?

[antman]

difference between hard limit and compression? and i use adobe audition...... is there one that is preffered??

[masteringhouse]

Originally Posted by antman

difference between hard limit and compression? and i use adobe audition...... is there one that is preffered??

When the ratio of compression is set to about 10:1 it is usually considered hard limiting. Hard limiting is more likely used to bring stray peaks down, while lower compression ratios are used more to bring up the average level.

Which one to use (or both) depends on the audio being compressed. The best one to use is neither if the audio sounds good without it.

[antman]

well when i record i am coming in like -9 to -6dbs so i usually am trying to bring down my level rather than raise em.......

[AlexW]

To me (and maybe someone can clarify this a bit more) the difference is in the makeup gain stage. With a compressor, you manually set the makup gain and have to be careful of remaining transients peaking above your intended threshold. With a limiter, the makeup gain is essentially capped off so nothing will exceed the output threshold.

[masteringhouse]

Originally Posted by antman

well when i record i am coming in like -9 to -6dbs so i usually am trying to bring down my level rather than raise em.......

Why not just lower the input level?

In general I use a comp to reduce the dynamic range in order to add "density" to a track while using a limiter to add overall volume. One isn't necessarily preferred over the other, you may even want to use both at the same time. It really depends on what you are trying to achieve.

Gain makeup works the same way for both, essentially using the headroom created by the reduction in the transients or overall average level.

[kylen]

Originally Posted by antman

difference between hard limit and compression? and i use adobe audition...... is there one that is preffered??

Here's an idea for ya antman - go grab Kjaerhus free VST Mastering compressor and Mastering limiter:

http://www.kjaerhusaudio.com/classic-compressor.php
http://www.kjaerhusaudio.com/classic-master-limiter.php

If you have Adobe Audition 1.5 it comes with a VST wrapper - otherwise if you have and earlier version without it just grab one like Directixer.

There - now isn't that a lot easier than trying to understand (and get a good sound out of) than the Audition dynamics processor and the hard limiter? Obviously everyone doesn't feel this way but I'd rather shoot myself than setup the audition DP most days - just my 2cents.

I think the Audition Hard Limiter has lookahead (as does the DP) I'm not sure if Kjaerhus does on the Classic series - I'm thinking not. It's a small detail unless you're trying to use the compressor or limiter to do repair work (naughty, naughty!) instead of reasonable compression and loudness adjustments on tracks and mixes. Anyway using the Kjaerhus Classic series will leverage you into the more complicated Audition tools if you really want to use those...(dynamics processors with no metering...yikes - a real ear exercise for sure)

[RawDepth]

Originally Posted by antman

difference between hard limit and compression? and i use adobe audition...... is there one that is preffered??

The difference...(in my own words and trying to keep-it-simple-stupid)

A compressor simply reduces signal strength. More specifically, it can target and reduce only the loudest peaks of a recorded signal. Compressors use threshold and ratio settings to base decisions on when and how much to reduce. Any part of the signal that exceeds a given threshold gets reduced (turned down) by an amount specified by the ratio. Any part that does not exceed the threshold is left (hopefully) unchanged.

Example of 3:1 ratio – if the incoming signal goes over the threshold by say 10db then it, (effectively, what appears to be the part above the threshold) is reduced by a factor of 3. (Knowing that 10 divided by 3 equals roughly 3.333,) The signal will be brought down to a level so only 3.333db remains above the threshold instead of 10db. In other words, this ratio specifies that if the input is 3 over, then the output can only be 1 over. If the input is 9 over, then the output can only be 3 over. Hence, a reduction of 3 to 1.

Example of 8:1 ratio - if the incoming signal goes over the threshold by 8db then it is reduced by a factor of 8, leaving the signal with only 1db over the threshold instead of 8.

Once all of this peak reduction has taken place, the overall volume level (output) can easily be increased to a higher ceiling, making the recorded track sound louder.


A limiter does similar work but does not need a ratio because any part of the signal that exceeds the threshold is reduced completely down to the threshold point. In other words, all signal level is limited by the threshold, hence the name.

This type of dynamics control is generally a good thing but, can sometimes produce undesirable results. You still have to rely on your ears to apply compression/limiting effectively.

(Note: if the ratio on a compressor is turned to its maximum, it will behave like a limiter.)