Compression Gain vs Limiter Gain

[ibleedburgundy]

Is there a fundamental difference between the two?

I have an ancient version of Pro Tools with the stock plug-ins for my main recording computer (I also run a new version of logic on my laptop). For some reason if I boost the gain using the compressor or EQ whatever I am boosting starts to sound fried.

Fried definition (IMO): Thin, a touch staticky, worse tone, lower headroom - something like that. In particular this happens on the master track when I am trying to bounce my mix to sample it in the car or something.

I assumed this would be no different if I used the gain on the limiter (because gain is gain, right?!?) so for a while there I didn't even bother trying. Then I recently tried doing a significant boost in the gain on the limiter (6 -10db) and no such frying occurred.

So that brings me to the question: Is it some quirk with the ancient tools I have or is there a real difference in how gain is applied in a compressor or an EQ plug-in vs a limiter?

 

[DM60]

I always thought the gain from the compressor was to make up the low end while the compressor push it down to flatten it out. Then the compressor output pushes the total sound out as a final. I would also assume, if the sound clips inside the plug in, that it will give you a negative (if you don't want that as I have seen some plug ins that allow for soft clipping) sound that clips inside the plug in, but not out from the track fader.

To summarize my thoughts, any clipping inside the chain would give you a clipping sound, even if it doesn't show red on the output.

 

[Farview]

I don't know the specific plugins you are using, but generally, gain on a compressor happens after the compression. It is there to make up for the reduction you are using to get the sound you want. If is perfectly possible to turn the gain up until you clip the system.

On a limiter (assuming a brick wall mastering limiter, not an LA2A style thing), the gain is what pushes the signal into the limiter. The signal coming out of the limiter will not peak any higher than the ceiling that is set. If it doesn't have a ceiling, that ceiling is 0dbfs.

The difference you found was because of where the gain was changed, before the compression or after it.

 

[VomitHatSteve]

I don't know the specific plugins you are using, but generally, gain on a compressor happens after the compression. It is there to make up for the reduction you are using to get the sound you want. If is perfectly possible to turn the gain up until you clip the system.

On a limiter (assuming a brick wall mastering limiter, not an LA2A style thing), the gain is what pushes the signal into the limiter. The signal coming out of the limiter will not peak any higher than the ceiling that is set. If it doesn't have a ceiling, that ceiling is 0dbfs.

The difference you found was because of where the gain was changed, before the compression or after it.

That would be my assumption. (Tho, I don't *know* for sure.)