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Topic: 6db Hard Limiter (Read 23486 times) previous topic - next topic
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Re: 6db Hard Limiter

Reply #50 –
@Garf, @KikeG, why do Hard -6dB Limiter and Advanced Limiter work so differently from a typical DAW limiter like Yohng's W1 Limiter, which audibly reduces the volume with ceiling set to -6dB, but those components do not?

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Re: 6db Hard Limiter

Reply #51 –
I don't think you are asking what you think you are asking. The two built-in limiters in foobar2000 work in different ways but they both are designed only to prevent digital clipping.
The VST component you mentioned in your example is designed to limit signal under a certain loudness threshold. With the example settings from your screenshot, the VST will be 6 dB quieter than the foobar2000 limiters.

If you read this thread you should know things already, but the -6dB limiter works by compressing the top 6 dB of the signal so that it can never surpass digital fullscale. It can cause some colorization to the sound. The advanced limiter probably works the same way as that W1 VST and just lowers the amplitude of the signal just in time before it would clip.

If you really need to know why the built-in limiters don't have the ceiling control: it makes no sense in the context of playback. You want to best playback experience -> you use the full dynamic range available for highest sound quality.

Re: 6db Hard Limiter

Reply #52 –
@Case, I already have a rough idea of the impact of Foobar2000's Hard limiter by looking at the waveform in the audio editor, but the impact of Advanced limiter is still a mystery to me, which is why I even asked the developer about it. I read a dozen threads here and realized one thing: these components clearly lack a more accessible documentation, as people continue to ask the same questions about pros and cons, suitable use cases, and comparison with ReplayGain.
• Join our efforts to make Helix MP3 encoder great again
• Opus complexity & qAAC dependence on Apple is an aberration from Vorbis & Musepack breakthroughs
• Let's pray that D. Bryant improve WavPack hybrid, C. Helmrich update FSLAC, M. van Beurden teach FLAC to handle non-audio data

Re: 6db Hard Limiter

Reply #53 –
I "believe" the original author of the Advanced Limiter was/is Kode54, who supplied this technical description of it that frankly goes over my head:  https://hydrogenaud.io/index.php/topic,113491.msg934305.html#msg934305.

He also made a more concise post about it here:  https://hydrogenaud.io/index.php/topic,77154.msg674643.html#msg674643.

I use a VST limiter/compressor that is user-adjustable and came with documentation I "grok" (latter attached FYI).

Re: 6db Hard Limiter

Reply #54 –
Advanced Limiter was created by David Nordin. Peter optimized the code as the original concept code was super slow.