Difference between a limiter and a maximizer?

[rymdis]

Hi there!

I was wondering i someone could tell me the difference between these two?

Maybe some maximizers are some kind of limiters and can work in that way?

Havnt been able to find any good info on this so i ask in here.


thanks

[MaxSynths]

The limiter limit the sound and leave intact the rest of the audio material. For example if you limit at -3dB everything that goes above this limit is turned down. A maximixer limit the sound at a given value and boost the sound above the specified threshold.

[mauseoleum]

Purely technically, a maximizer is a tool that can be a) a limiter specially developed for enhancing the loudness in a mastering process or b) more complex dynamic processing tool incorporating a mastering limiter as well as other modules, dedicated to loudness maximizing and/or other corrections/enhancements in a mastering process.

Yep bro, deep.

[rymdis]

The limiter limit the sound and leave intact the rest of the audio material. For example if you limit at -3dB everything that goes above this limit is turned down. A maximixer limit the sound at a given value and boost the sound above the specified threshold.

Isnt a limiter just a compressor with a very high Ratio? I mean, if i use a limiter and limit -3db then i can raise 3db and get the signal "hotter".
There usually are an output volume in every limiter so this can easily been achieved.

If i look at the Waves L2 which is a maximizer and the Oxford Limiter which is a Limiter i can get the same results with them as they both limit the signal which gives me room to raise it to achieve more loudness. (They dont sound the same though but thats another thing)

So i dont get the difference. Maybe the maximizers work in another way that im not aware of?

Ive read somewhere that a maximizer is a limiter with automatic gain makeup..
Maybe thats all theres to it?



thanks for any input on this...

Fredrik

[MaxSynths]

@rymdis: Yes, what you say is not entirely wrong... according to a friend of mine the difference is in the way you use it; if you are limiting is a limiter if you want to boost your track is a maximizer. Take this explanation and live in peace Today we have compressors with integrated limiters and gate, limiters with integrated compressor, and so on. Come on, don't take care of these "details"

[rymdis]

Yep maybe they are related to eachother in a complex way and thats that! If i not was 100% right here, what did i miss?

thanks

[MaxSynths]

Nothing IMHO

"I don't care what you use and how you use it! If it sounds good it's good!"

[The Chase]

Maximizers tend to have some frequency-dependent aspects, such as the BBE maximizer. But then again a lot of limiters do as well.

I guess it's like the difference between an exciter and an enhancer. It's really down to what companies decide to call their product.

[vurt]

Yep maybe they are related to eachother in a complex way and thats that! If i not was 100% right here, what did i miss?

thanks

cant remember the maths behind it but the limiter by its nature limits transient peaks, which are by their nature usually of high frequencies. if you limit the transients and then bring up the gain to maximise volume you will end up with a bassier mix.
a maximiser has some sort of frequency voodoo going on whereby it boosts all frequencies eqaully giving a luder version of the original mix.

[rymdis]

Nothing IMHO

"I don't care what you use and how you use it! If it sounds good it's good!"

yeah i know but "sometimes" its good to know what things do

I use what sounds best. If its a limiter or a maximizer doesnt matter actually Just curious....

thanks for all replys!!

[Hink]

Yep maybe they are related to eachother in a complex way and thats that! If i not was 100% right here, what did i miss?

thanks

cant remember the maths behind it but the limiter by its nature limits transient peaks, which are by their nature usually of high frequencies. if you limit the transients and then bring up the gain to maximise volume you will end up with a bassier mix.
a maximiser has some sort of frequency voodoo going on whereby it boosts all frequencies eqaully giving a luder version of the original mix.

according to a bbe rep the maximizer enhances specific harmonics as well...

for the op, I would not put a maximizer in the same category as a compressor or a limiter and yes you were correct. Limiting is extreme compression. I do think that sometimes a maximizer is like taking a wet blanket off of your speakers.

[bduffy]

The BBE is different than your standard "maximizer": it's a "sonic maximizer", i.e. it's a multiband compressor/EQ/enhancer designed for coloring sound, not increasing the volume of the mix. They're using "maximizer" more in the vain of "makes your mix sound better", not louder.

As for dynamic maximizers vs limiters, they're the same thing, as far as I know: limit dynamics/peaks so you can raise the gain.

[Hink]

The BBE is different than your standard "maximizer": it's a "sonic maximizer", i.e. it's a multiband compressor/EQ/enhancer designed for coloring sound, not increasing the volume of the mix. They're using "maximizer" more in the vain of "makes your mix sound better", not louder.

As for dynamic maximizers vs limiters, they're the same thing, as far as I know: limit dynamics/peaks so you can raise the gain.

which basically is the companies using symantics for fluff basically, which is why I shop for benefits...not features.

[bduffy]

The BBE is different than your standard "maximizer": it's a "sonic maximizer", i.e. it's a multiband compressor/EQ/enhancer designed for coloring sound, not increasing the volume of the mix. They're using "maximizer" more in the vain of "makes your mix sound better", not louder.

As for dynamic maximizers vs limiters, they're the same thing, as far as I know: limit dynamics/peaks so you can raise the gain.

which basically is the companies using symantics for fluff basically, which is why I shop for benefits...not features.

Yeah, it's bullshit jargon, no doubt. Whether you like the sound of it is up to you.

[rymdis]

So to recap it here

A maximizer can be like the BBE sonic maximizer which colors the sound to give a "better" sound, adding harmonics or whatever it does

Or, it can be like the Waves L2 Maximizer which work more like a limiter allowing you to lower the transients in order to raise the below stuff. Maybe it adds something in the process as they call it "maximizer"?


And a regular limiter alows you to lower the transients so that you can boost the overall volume, adding nothing in the process, or?


/Fredrik