Peak Limiting - Bus Tools Limiter with DRC?

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SoundKlang
Posts: 63
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2011 18:35

Peak Limiting - Bus Tools Limiter with DRC?

Postby SoundKlang » Wed Jun 25, 2014 16:27

I was comparing different limiter plugins for mixing, again. This was the first time trying the Limiter /w DRC from Pyramix' Bus Tools. With a little tweaking of the DRC parameters I achieved a very good result for Drums. Never got anything like that from other limiters.

Some members mentioned the bus tools limiter in the past but currently very often Flux Elixir is recommended. Unfortunately three attempts to use demo installers from Flux failed with a "...CRC...file corrupted..." or similar message. I can not do the comparison by myself, but wonder for what purposes the Elixir or other limiter plugins are better and for what purposes the bus tools limiter /w DRC is preferable?

SoundKlang
Posts: 63
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2011 18:35

Re: Peak Limiting - Bus Tools Limiter with DRC?

Postby SoundKlang » Sat Jan 30, 2016 14:46

Update:
The Bus Tools Limiter is still the most transparent limiter plugin in my collection for catching peaks and some loudness increase. For best transparency for example on acoustic guitar recordings (microphone, not sampled) I use it without the DRC, with short release time and with everything else disabled. Only the output gain is active and set to about 0.1 dB to 0.3 dB less than the limiting threshold (makeup is disabled). For example - 3.0 dB threshold and + 2.8 dB output gain. That way it works like a brickwall for me.

SoundKlang
Posts: 63
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2011 18:35

Re: Peak Limiting - Bus Tools Limiter with DRC?

Postby SoundKlang » Fri Aug 05, 2016 13:23

Update2:
About the DRC of the Bus Tools Limiter: To my ears, the shorter release time achieved by the DRC allows for more attack/transient but the modulation introduced by adapting the release time slightly veills the signal.
Also, if dynamics processing is required but not necessarily restricted to limiting, I would like to point to the Strip Tools Compressor and Expander. For my sound ideal the compression combined with a mild upward (inverse) expansion is more transparent, spacious and vivid than what I was able to achieve with other dynamics plugins so far (including the VS3 Dynamics and Bus Tools Limiter). To be safely using a slower attack time, I use a Brickwall on the stereo bus (Bus Tools Limiter with -0.5 dB Threshold) and then go sculpting with the compression and upward expansion. Just to say, the Bus Tools Limiter is good, maybe the Strip Tools compression and expansion is even better.

80bit
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2010 23:17

Re: Peak Limiting - Bus Tools Limiter with DRC?

Postby 80bit » Fri Dec 29, 2017 01:43

which one should I use? for mastering brickwall limiter
buss strip limiter or any ? for (I'm looking for the most transparent limiter)
Pyramix 11.1.4 Native with MTKey
Windows 10 64 bit

User avatar
fl
Posts: 1413
Joined: Sun Feb 11, 2007 19:55
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Re: Peak Limiting - Bus Tools Limiter with DRC?

Postby fl » Fri Dec 29, 2017 16:47

Isn't that a question that only you can answer for yourself?

Some time ago, I made up a set of test signals to check out the response of various compressor and limiter plug-ins, which you are welcome to use for testing on your own: https://www.dropbox.com/s/kwfoesjs8la6u ... s.zip?dl=0

Here are some examples of the results with a few plugins I own: https://www.dropbox.com/s/d10lu7ko4rm6d ... s.zip?dl=0

A useful item for all of this is Voxengo's free SPAN plug-in, which shows the spectral response of processing - just look for added harmonics, or the lack of same. http://www.voxengo.com/product/span/

Speaking personally, I can sometimes hear the Bus Tools limiter working, especially if the DRC is engaged. My usual "go to" clean limiter is Voxengo's Elephant - http://www.voxengo.com/product/elephant/ - which can be configured to be very transparent, with few or no added overtones. That's just me; I imagine that every audio engineer in the world has their own favourite.
Frank Lockwood, Toronto, ON, Canada
http://LockwoodARS.com
• Pyramix Native 11.1.6
• Mac Mini 6.2 (3rd Gen. Quadcore i7) - Bootcamp 6.0.6136 - Win10 Pro SP1 64 v1809
• RME Fireface 800 ASIO driver 3.125 or ASIO4All 2.15

80bit
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2010 23:17

Re: Peak Limiting - Bus Tools Limiter with DRC?

Postby 80bit » Fri Dec 29, 2017 21:43

thank you
but bustools limiter is not transparent ? because i tried and i love bustools. but I am not sure for transparenty
Pyramix 11.1.4 Native with MTKey
Windows 10 64 bit