ML4000 LE
Mastering Limiter
Ceiling
Maximum output signal level (0 to
- 36 dB)
Threshold
Signal level (0 to –36 dB) the
limiter begins to detect input
signal peaks. The difference
between the Ceiling and Threshold
is the maximum makeup gain of
the limiter.
Knee
The limiting action transition (0 to
100, 0 is ‘normal’, ‘hard’, ‘limiting’,
100 is ‘soft’)
Release
The rate (1 msec to 5 sec) the
limiter recovers from reducing a
signal peak. Shorter release times
increase overall output signal
levels.
ML4000LE Specs
Parameter Range Function
CEILING 0 to - 36 dB Sets the maximum output signal level
THRESHOLD 0 to –36 dB Sets the signal level the limiter begins to detect input signal
peaks. The difference between the Ceiling and Threshold is
the maximum makeup gain of the limiter.
KNEE 0 to 100, 0 is ‘normal’, Sets the limiting action transition
‘hard’, ‘limiting’, 100
is ‘soft’
RELEASE 1 msec to 5 sec Sets the rate the limiter recovers from reducing a signal peak.
Shorter release times increase overall output signal levels.
ML4000 LE
Mastering Limiter
Limiter Basics
A limiter operates very much like a compressor,
applying gain reduction to the signal as it rises
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over the selected threshold. Limiters, however, �������
can have the additional requirement of not ���������
allowing the output signal to exceed a selected ��������
maximum.
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The limiter output (or ceiling) control
determines the maximum level of the output
signal. The threshold determines where the
limiter begins to operate on the input signal. A
limiter will also attempt to maximize the output
level by the difference between the output ��
ceiling and the threshold. A common use of a �� ��
limiter is making the incoming audio as loud as
possible.
Some limiters (like the one in ML4000LE) use a delay line to look-ahead and anticipate
signal level changes before they occur. This can minimize signal distortion during the
limiting process, and make the overall limiter sound more transparent. The trade off
with such approaches is a long look-ahead delay will cause unacceptable latency in a
digital audio system. The ML4000 limiter uses a minimal amount of delay (approximately
1 msec) while reducing output distortion more than any other limiter on the market
today.
Attack controls are not common on a limiter, as they often use sophisticated means
of signal analysis to find the best way to being applying gain reduction to the signal
without causing distortion. A release control is common on a limiter, and can have a
much faster range than a release control found on a compressor. Release times on
limiters can be as fast as 1 msec, while on compressors they are often not much faster
than about 20 msec. The limiter release control allows the output level to be as close to
the selected ceiling as possible, and so its designed to respond even more quickly than
the release found on a typical compressor.
The ML4000 is the only limiter offering a knee control to allow the limiter to respond
differently to input signals, while still achieving maximum signal levels that do not
exceed the output ceiling. The ML4000 knee control modifies the gain structure of
the limiter such that output levels are still maximized, but more gradually, in an effort
to reduce distortion and/or tailor the limiting ‘effect’ to the input signal. Softer knee
settings (25 to 50%) best suit vocals and voice overs, while hard knee values (less than
10%) are more for loud drum busses and similar instruments.