final mastering effect order?

[ambi]

im putting a little bit of final mastering effects on my mix to kinda polish it off before i burn it and put it in my car to reference it on my way to work. I've been using the L1 limiter, which im very excited about! , cause its giving me a great volume without the clipping, which i was always having problems with before (duh). Ok, anyways

im using the L1 limiter/maximizer, the C4 multiband compression, and maybe a little q10 paragraphic EQ

what order do these go in? i find if i use the L1 and the compression at the same time, in logic on the song, the compression just kinda undoes what the limiter is doing. So im temped to do compression and EQ, then mix down, then L1 limiter, then mix down again.

so what do you guys think:?

 

[dachay2tnr]

Personally I would eq, C4 and L1 in that order. However, make sure you really need the eq, as the C4 will give you some control over eq by itself.

I'm not familiar with Logic, but I usually chain the C4 and L1 in the same pass with no problems. The L1 should be last in the chain, particularly if you are using it to dither as well.

 

[ambi]

YAY , I just did EXACTLY that, and it turns out my instict was right. I decided against eq for that exact same reason, decided i didn't really need it and i don't have a trained enough ear to use it properly for mastering purposes, becuase i don't know what im looking for. So i c4'd, mixed down again, then l1's, and mixed down AGAIN, and it sounds really good! But i don' thave monitors, so i burned it and took it in my car, and i've written a few notes on things i need to change ( i actually expanded too much, its too loud). I always base my mixes from two songs from the general genre, one the quietest ive ever heard, and on the loudest. I find a happy medium that i like, and as long as im louder than the quiet, and lower than the loud i figure im good.

 

[littledog]

Regardless of what else you do, your limiter should be last in the chain.