Secret on the Pro-L2
Fabfilter’s Pro-L2 is one of the more popular limiters out there…and for good reasons!!
The sound quality and user-friendly features make this a staple on many master chains.
This specific built-in feature (headphone icon) allows you to hear what is getting cut by the limiter.
This is a great opportunity to hear if there is a specific element, or two, that’s being squashed when you increase your input gain into the threshold.
Think of this as another referencing tool you can add to your kit so you can make the best decisions for your music.
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More Hidden Secrets in Your Limiter
Limiters reward curiosity: the hidden secrets in tools like Pro-L2, oversampling modes, channel linking, lookahead, are where real audio engineering happens. Whatever digital audio workstation you use, spend an evening with your limiter's manual; it's the cheapest mastering upgrade available.
Getting Loud Without Crushing the Master
Push into a limiter gradually and trust your ears rather than chasing a number, since the last decibel of loudness usually costs the most in punch and depth. Watch the gain-reduction meter and keep the heaviest moments from pinning it, a master that never breathes tends to sound smaller, not bigger. Compare against a reference track at a matched volume so loudness does not trick you into thinking louder is automatically better.