Outboard Limiting

  • Thread starter Thread starter KingstonRock
  • Start date Start date
K

KingstonRock

PC load letter?
Is there any kind of strictly limiting outboard device i can get? While tracking I've realized that my motu's level meters always go into the red way before my mixer clips. I've heard of apogee's softlimit, and I thought I could do somethign similiar but with a seperate limiter. Anywhere from 2-8 channels would be good.

Eric
 
Waves L2 is a good one with nice converters to boot.

Wouldn't it be neat though, if you could learn to set your inputs where they don't clip? You'd increase your knowledge and experience and keep your wallet in your pocket.
-kent
 
Behringers compressors(autocom,composer,etc)have real good limiters on them.....
 
"Wouldn't it be neat though, if you could learn to set your inputs where they don't clip? You'd increase your knowledge and experience and keep your wallet in your pocket.
-kent"
Hmm. Pay $1700 or turn it down. Pay $1700 or turn it down...
:D
 
Gidge said:
Behringers compressors(autocom,composer,etc)have real good limiters on them.....
Click to expand...

......and even more specifically, the Composer series. Dual Peak Limiting functions on ea channel that actually perform at a most
reasonable price.
 
knownuttin said:
Waves L2 is a good one with nice converters to boot.

Wouldn't it be neat though, if you could learn to set your inputs where they don't clip? You'd increase your knowledge and experience and keep your wallet in your pocket.
-kent
Click to expand...

umm.. limiting is sooooo much more than just preventing clipping
 
umm.. limiting is sooooo much more than just preventing clipping
Click to expand...

I fess up...paid the 1700 and still had to truned it down. :D
In the case of the L2(in the analog mode), there's still no ignoring good input levels.

You'r right about that though.
 
I seem to be on the fringe on this one, but I don't see a contradiction between turning levels down and having some sort of limiting in the chain as well.

No matter how carefully i set levels during a sound check, there are occasionally going to be those moments when there is an excruciatingly loud scream, or the drummer suddenly finds he has the "strength of ten men", and bashes accordingly... or some other unexpected explosion occurs.

Working with a safety net isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's saved my ass a few times.
 
I was waiting for someone to take my side! A safety net is a good way to put what I was looking for, especially with screaming vocalists and crazy drummers, I just didnt want to add compression yet. My problem is that it doesnt peak at the preamp only the soundcard, that's where the limiting in between comes in.
 
I still haven't heard if anyone likes (or tried) the dbx A/Ds with the built in pre-limeter. -starts compacting at -4.
 
Okay, for the record, I'm not anti-limiting. I am against unnecessary processing and spending.

Though most of us can name a neat piece of gear to check out, what I wonder is what the heck is wrong with a 24 bit recording interface that gets clipped by a signal that's not clipping the pre.
I don't deny a limiter may fix this, but might this be a defective unit? I've heard so much good about the motu.
-kent
 
well.. an analog preamp starts distorting gradually, a 24 bit digital recorder does NOT. If you feel a limiter will totally ruin the dynamics of your recording, just ask your drummer to beat the hell outta his kit and adjust levels to be WAY under 0db and you're home free. If you want a hotter signal, I don't see how you could be without a limiter or switch to analog tape...
 
You've probably got it Meshuggah, My preamp may not be distorting audibly but it may have hit zero and over without me really seeing anything in the peak meter. But once that peak hit the soundcard I certaintly heard, during playback, and saw it on the meters.

You know what I find the funniest, I have asked the drummers to give the set a good beating just for a check, and they allways manage to hit it harder durign the take. So far it hasnt been a problem, its difficult to distinguisha clicking and clipping bass drum.
 
I'm definitely not against it, I just don't ever like what limiting does. I experiment with it a lot, but usually end up ditching it and sticking with compression only. I don't understand when a compressor becomes a limiter - all I know is that I can get desired results with compression and pre amp adjustments, but not with a separate limiting signal thrown in the mix.
 
One thing that probably enters into it, is that if it works fast enough to do the job, it tends to clip the top off anyway. Still, a bit better than having a digi clip. On the occasional drum hit, you might never miss it.
I really like using limiting on snare and kick, as opposed to compression (never warmed up to the popping-compressed snare soud as much).
If you happen to be using dxi plugins, the UltraFunk comp has a nice lookahead-limeter function that works great in this way. Lots of punch, very consistent.
 
I still intend to get one of those MultiComs from Behringer...

Is that as good as the Composer pro, or "composer" series..whatever someone said?

All I need i for is the occasional "too loud" drum hit...

I tend to track at reasonably low volumes, leave plenty of headroom, but...still when you have those snares that just pop up and kill you...

Probably wouldn't want to use something like that Autocom on vocals...heh..I am sure that would sound bad.

I know Macle used the Distressor on vocals and maintained good fidelity...I can track my vox without clipping usually though.

Drums are the dynamic problem for me.
 
wes480 said:
I still intend to get one of those MultiComs from Behringer...

Is that as good as the Composer pro, or "composer" series..whatever someone said?
Click to expand...

I'm not a big fan of the multicom. It's great for live use, when you need a bunch of channels, but for some reason, it's rather troublesome finding an ideal limiter threshold, getting good levels in and out, etc.

It just takes a lot of playing with that I didn't have the patience for when tracking. For some reason, I've had better luck with the composer.
 
I use Drawmer DL241s. I swear by them now.

A good limiter in the signal chain *ahead of the converters* can be an absolute lifesaver when working either live, or in an intimate studio situation. It's easy to say "turn it down", but when the take of the ages just happened in front of you, and was lost because the peaks got creamed by the (nonexistent) converter headroom.... you learn that a good, controllable limiter has its uses.

Many times you can't anticipate what a performer will do in the heat of the moment. I'd much rather have a usable track than a bunch of crunches... Software limiting is missing the point, IMHO. I don't limit the 2-buss: I limit the basics, and only enough to make them viable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top