Mensah's Top 4 - Limiting Plugins


Mensah is no stranger to the world of music production. He has not only been exposed to a generation of Nigerian artists most of us will consider as legends but has also witnessed the transition in music production techniques from the Atari ST computers of the mid eighties to the monster DAWs of today.

The CEO of Audio Techniks company (@audio_techniks on instagram) gives Audiophile Naija his top four limiting plugins for finalizing a mix and adds some insights that led to this selection.


Mensah's Top 4 Limiting Plugins

1. FabFilter Pro-L



This has verily changed the game for many engineers. The most highly regarded aspect of the plugins they create is the user interface. Their plugins often give great options when it comes to metering in the UI, such as the spectrum analyzer built into the EQ. The same applies with the Pro-L. This limiter keeps tabs on loudness metering, adhering to popular loudness standards (EBU R128, ITU-R BS. 1770) as well as true peak metering for accurate results.

Tonally, the Pro-L adds a bit of richness to a mix but still remains pretty transparent. If completely transparent limiting is what you’re after, this limiter may not be the tool for you, but many of its features make up for the slight addition of color. The Pro-L offers dithering as well as control over channel linking with individual settings for transients and release. This comes in handy if there is a loud transient in only one of the two channels.

 2. Waves L3-LL Multimaximizer



This limiter sports 5 separate bands for precise control over which frequencies are being limited and how. Unlike many multi band limiters, the L3-LL is controlled by a single limiter rather than 5 individual limiters. Waves acheives this by using their proprietary PLMixer to evaluate with psychoacoustic accuracy how much gain reduction to apply to each band. The L3-LL can also be used as a mastering “EQ” using the priority controls of each band, giving you extended control of how the plugin will affect the sound of you mix.

Waves also utilized its IDR (Increased Digital Resolution) technology in this limiter to help maintain the best possible and perceived file resolution. Dithering with noise shaping is available on this limiter as well for those looking to use this as a final step in their file preparation. Sonically, the L3-LL aims to be transparent, but when it is pushed, it has a sound that is similar to the Waves L2.
3. PSP Xenon



The desire to be transparent in limiting can be paramount on certain projects. Not only does this allows your mix to shine through, it also allows for cleanest results all around. Introducing the PSP Xenon, a two-stage limiter which prides itself on being one of the more transparent limiting plugins available. To achieve clarity, the Xenon runs 64 bit processing and up to 192kHz sample rates throughout its own signal path. This also happens to be a very versatile limiter, with multiple transient detection modes available to users.

The mode setting decides how fast the attack of the first limiter will be, and subsequently determines how many transients are being passed to the second stage. Mode A is a quick limiting mode that grabs transients like a traditional brick wall limiter. Modes B & C use a lookahead mode that provides a smoother response in the Xenon’s limiting. Other features include four types of dithering, stereo linking, and K-system metering for even more flexibility.
4. Massey L2007



Color can do quite a lot for a mix. Sometimes, we encounter mixes that just need something more, and having the right sound in these scenarios is important. The Massey L2007 has provided great limiting with four modes to help achieve that sound. While the L2007 lacks the fine control of some other limiting plugins, it provides a simple interface and some basic tone shaping abilities.

The controls are simple, Threshold and Output. Outside of those controls, there are two other knobs where you can pick a setting for Mode and Release. The four modes control how the L2007 detects input. Loud takes on an aggressive limiting approach, Mellow is a little bit smoother with less aggression, Smooth can be used to soften brittle high end without the downsides of aggressive limiting, and Vibrant interacts most with midrange content making it good for preserving dynamic range.  Even with all of the different settings, the L2007 maintains a good amount of transparency which makes it a great and versatile choice.


Written by
Ernest Mensah

Introduction by
Chidi "Tite" Nnadi

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