Limiter
Category: Technical
What is Limiter?
A limiter prevents audio from exceeding a set level, allowing louder masters without digital clipping distortion.
Limiter explained
A limiter is essentially a compressor with an infinite ratio—any signal exceeding the threshold is reduced to that threshold level. It's the final tool in mastering chains, ensuring tracks don't exceed 0dBFS (digital maximum) while maximizing loudness. Modern limiters use lookahead processing to catch peaks before they happen, enabling transparent limiting. Key settings are ceiling (maximum output level, typically -0.1dB to -1dB for streaming) and gain (how much the signal is boosted into the limiter). Over-limiting sacrifices dynamics for loudness—the 'loudness wars' criticism. Proper limiting is transparent; obvious limiting sounds squashed and fatiguing.
Why Limiter matters for independent artists
Understanding Limiter helps you make better promotion decisions on SoundCloud and other streaming platforms. On Reposter Network, artists apply concepts like this every day when they trade real plays, likes and reposts with other musicians instead of buying fake engagement.
Related terms
- Compression: Audio compression reduces the dynamic range between loud and quiet parts of a signal, making tracks sound more consistent and punchy.
- Mastering: Mastering is the final step of audio production, optimizing a mixed track for loudness, tonal balance, and consistency across playback systems.
Browse the full music marketing glossary or read the guide on SoundCloud repost networks.