Clipper+Limiter or Limiter+Limiter?
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Transfigurationsofbeing Transfigurationsofbeing https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=738779
- KVRist
- 39 posts since 13 Jan, 2025
What do you prefer to use in the master? And why? Thank you!
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- KVRAF
- 5271 posts since 2 Jul, 2005
I mostly only use a clipper and a compressor on my master buss. Comp> clipper. If I ever decide to "master" something (which seems a bit pointless in this day and age) I'll use whatever I need to match all the tracks in a way that they go well together. It will probably be more eq and light compression though. The last album I mastered I used mostly MDynamiceq and L3, but it was all songs I made and mixed so there wasn't a ton to do.
Don't F**K with Mr. Zero.
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- KVRAF
- 1776 posts since 3 May, 2023 from Norway
IL Soundgoodizer x10 into IL Soundgoodizer
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- KVRian
- 891 posts since 22 Jan, 2022
Clipper into limiter. This keeps the limiter from being overdriven by excessive transient spikes, and IMO outputs a less 'invasive' sounding limiting process.
I actually do clipper, limiter, limiter (true peak only, no gain reduction), only to monitor the true peak process separately.
I actually do clipper, limiter, limiter (true peak only, no gain reduction), only to monitor the true peak process separately.
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- KVRian
- 1408 posts since 1 Jul, 2023
Clipper to shave those pokey transients down a bit so your limiter doesn't react inappropriately. I find Arturia "Bus Peak" to be perfect for this, very transparent (unless you choose otherwise).
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- KVRAF
- 8705 posts since 24 May, 2002 from Tutukaka, New Zealand
Clipper>compressor>limiter
Clipper to tame the big spikes upsetting the compressor. Compressor for most of the dynamics duties because I prefer soft compression to hard limiting and it's less obvious. Limiter fairly gentle at the end because the comp has done the donkey work, and clipper + limiter = 2 x distortion, so I want as little distortion as possible on a master. For quite a long time I didn't use clippers at all. I'm still on the fence about them in terms of mastering.
It's definitely not the "right" way of doing it though - you'll find every poster here does it differently for whatever preferential reasons, and TBH you can do whatever you want with master FX nowadays. It's one of the many benefits of DAWs for sure.
Clipper to tame the big spikes upsetting the compressor. Compressor for most of the dynamics duties because I prefer soft compression to hard limiting and it's less obvious. Limiter fairly gentle at the end because the comp has done the donkey work, and clipper + limiter = 2 x distortion, so I want as little distortion as possible on a master. For quite a long time I didn't use clippers at all. I'm still on the fence about them in terms of mastering.
It's definitely not the "right" way of doing it though - you'll find every poster here does it differently for whatever preferential reasons, and TBH you can do whatever you want with master FX nowadays. It's one of the many benefits of DAWs for sure.
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- KVRist
- 32 posts since 16 Jun, 2006
From my personal perspective, the clipper goes before the limiter. Huge transients can easily drive the limiter too hard. Using a clipper first to tame some peaks helps the limiter do its job better. Or you could try a cascading setup like comp->clipper->comp->clipper->comp.