limiter / compressor

[Moses Presley]

Could someone tell me the difference between a limiter and a compressor?

MP

[where02190]

Dynamic ratio. Compressors are dynamics controller with ratios ranging from 1:1 to approx 10:1. Anything much over 10:1 is limiting. A compressor can be a limiter, hoever not all limiters can be compressors.

Hope this is helpful.

[Mark Staples]

In "general" a limiter has a faster attack than compressors. However, you can get compressor/limiters that have very fast attacks.

The idea behind a compressor (at least the way I use them) is to contol dynamic range to raise the quiet parts/lower the louder parts. You also set how the signal is compressed (soft knee/hard knee or something in between)

A limiter, on the other hand is used to control peaks so that you "limit" how loud something can be. There is "brick wall" limiting that makes it so that will not go beyond a certain loudness.

There is another thread on this very topic. I also encourage you to go out to Studio Covers because there are lots of articles on this topic.

Mark

[tlester]

Where is correct. It's a ratio thing (not attack). The technical definition that I find in all my text books is 8:1 and greater is limiting. I forget what "brickwall" limiting is, but I seem to recall something like 48:1 ratio.

-t

[AE]

Two things about limiting. First, it requires both a high ratio AND fast attack/release times. Many compressors don't have attack/release times sufficient for peak limiting. But also, limiting is a function of how the device is used. True peak limiting is achieved by setting a very high threshold so that only the highest transient levels are clipped. Once you bring the threshold down so that gain reduction is triggered by changes of the signal's envelope, you're not limiting; you're really compressing (and probably too much with such high ratios). Also, if you use fast limiting attack and release times at lower thresholds, low frequencies can distort and pumping and breathing (the sound of rapid gain changes) will be audible.

[Moses Presley]

So feedback folks..I'm sure I'd know the answer to how most PTers use compressors, but how do folks use limiters?