The 5 Best Limiters VST Plugins on the Market (2022)
“What are the best limiter VST plugins out there in 2022?”
Limiters are incredibly simple yet powerful tools used for a range of mixing and mastering functions. They act as a type of compressor, but instead of smoothing the peaks of a waveform, they instead completely clip any audio signal above a certain threshold.
You would achieve a similar result with a compression plugin set to a very high ratio, and limiters are often used in conjunction with compressors to eliminate any louder, anomalous peaks.
When searching for a new limiter VST plugin, producers usually ask themselves the same question: “are there any free alternatives?”
The answer is: yes and no.
There are many free limiter plugins out there, a few of which have a decent selection of additional features and are, for the most part, enough to get the job done.
However, there comes a point where you have to step up your game and invest in a high quality, professional limiter plugin. It’s the only way you’ll truly ever compete in the shark tank that is the music industry.
Luckily for us, limiter plugins can be relatively cheap nowadays, so in this list I’ve included plugins for a range of budgets.
So without further ado, here is my rundown of the very best limiter VST plugins on the market in 2022.
The 5 Best Limiter VST Plugins on the Market in 2022
1. FabFilter – Pro-L 2
Sound Quality
Features
Value for Money
Who this plugin is for: Producers looking for the gold standard of limiter plugins in terms of flexibility and sound quality.
Fabfilter are a Dutch audio development company responsible for creating some of the most powerful music production tools on the market. I’ve been a fan of their VST plugins for years now, and have been extremely impressed by the diversity and quality of their various plugins.
Pro-L 2 is FabFilter’s highly popular limiter plugin, and is my go-to for all limiting processes. The plugin features precise true peak level meters and extensive loudness metering, as well as unique real-time level display. This visually-focused design makes it perfect for beginner producers, while still remaining detailed and comprehensive enough for more advanced users.
Pro-L 2 gives a clean, transparent sound with the capability of very loud output. In my opinion, this limiter plugin is a must-have for any producer, but it’s worth noting it isn’t cheap. However, if you’ve got the money to spend, this limiter tool should definitely be on your radar.
FabFilter – Pro-L 2 Features
• Real-time level display with peak gain reduction labels and new display modes
• Up to 32x linear-phase oversampling
• Highly accurate output and gain reduction metering including true peak metering
• Eight different limiting algorithms
+ much more.
This product is available for both Windows / Mac and 32-bit / 64-bit.
Click here to check best price + more info / reviews.
2. TDR Limiter 6 GE
Sound Quality
Features
Value for Money
Who this plugin is for: Producers looking for an all-encompassing limiter plugin that packs a lot of power without breaking the bank.
TDR Limiter 6 GE is a fantastic limiter plugin which features 6 specialized modules, including a compact compressor and clipper module. The engine has a very clean, intuitive design, and presents you with a impressive range of specialized loudness control tools. From subtle, delicate transient control and peak levelling to full loudness maximising, this plugin covers all bases.
Like a lot of Tokyo Dawn Labs products, this limiter tool is very light on CPU, so works great with large projects or multiple loadings. The list price is also extremely reasonable – so if you’re on a stricter budget, but still want professional quality, TDR Limiter 6 GE is worth checking out.
One downside when comparing this plugin to FabFilter’s Pro-L 2 would be the lack of detailed visual peak display, resulting in a moderate learning curve. But with a little practice, this plugin is an excellent addition to any producers plugin arsenal.
TDR Limiter 6 GE Features
• Dynamics Compressor, Clipper, High-Frequency Limiter and Peak Limiter
• Output Protection Limiter
• True Peak and EBU Loudness Meter
• EBU R128 compliant loudness metering
+ much more.
This product is available for both Windows / Mac and 64-bit only.
Click here to check best price + more info / reviews.
3. Soundtoys – Devil-Loc
Sound Quality
Features
Value for Money
Who this plugin is for: Producers looking for an unbelievably CPU-light, simple plugin with an authentic, vintage tone.
As you can probably tell from the screenshot above, Devil-Loc is far from the most detailed feature-packed plugin out there, but the sound quality is absolutely stunning.
This limiter plugin is primarily designed for drums, and can definitely turn flat drum samples into punchy, spacious drum tracks. I wouldn’t really recommend this plugin for other sounds, as you’re likely to need a little more detail and flexibility when adding limiters to vocals, synths etc.
The engine consists of two knobs; “Crush” and “Crunch”, which essentially are compression and distortion controls. Due to this stripped-back, vintage design, it perfectly captures the fat, unpredictable tones of classic drum limiters. However, I would say this plugin is slightly overpriced. Granted the sound quality is outstanding, but I wouldn’t say it’s quite worth the mid-high price range.
Devil-Loc Features
• Crunch (distortion) and Crush (compression)
• Vintage sonic character
This product is available for both Windows / Mac and 64-bit only.
Click here to check best price + more info / reviews.
4. iZotope – Ozone 9 Maximizer
Sound Quality
Features
Value for Money
Who this plugin is for: Producers looking for modern, surgical limiter plugin and that have the money to spend.
Ozone 9 might actually be the most complete, all-encompassing mastering / limiter plugin out there. The plugin update features an eclectic range of mastering tools such as Track Referencing and a Spectral Shaper function.
One of the stand out features for me is the new Low End Focus tool. This tool acts as an antidote to muddy bass frequencies in a mix, and can be use to enhance and add clarity to low end sounds. Low End Focus features two parameters: Smooth and Punchy. From my experience, the Punchy parameter will give a crisper, more defined low end to your drums, while the Smooth parameter will add warmth and articulation to bass-ier instruments and synths.
The only reason this plugin isn’t higher on the list is the price. The full version of this product is around three times the price of FabFilter’s Pro-L 2. There are cheaper, more basic versions of Ozone 9 available, but it’s definitely something to keep in mind. Overall, this is easily one of the best limiter and mastering plugins on the market in 2022.
iZotope – Ozone 9 Maximizer Features
• Tonal Balance Control feature
• New Low End Focus features
• Imager – Sculpt your image in stereo with per-band widening and narrowing
• Equalizer feature
• Spectral Shaper features
+ much, MUCH more.
This product is available for both Windows / Mac and 32-bit / 64-bit.
Click here to check best price + more info / reviews.
5. Elevate Mastering Bundle
Sound Quality
Features
Value for Money
Who this plugin is for: Producers looking for a highly advanced mastering plugin collection at a great price.
The final entry on this list is something a little different. This mastering bundle contains 4 independent mastering plugins; Elevate, EQuivocate, Saturate and Punctuate. When used together, these plugins provide a highly detailed, comprehensive mastering suite that is capable of creating perfectly levelled, radio-ready mixes.
Elevate is a unique multi-band limiter, human-ear EQ and powerful audio maximizer that increases the loudness of your mix while maintaining or improving its dynamic perception. EQuivocate provides auditory filters and incredible match EQ functionality. Saturate is the Spectral Clipper algorithm relying on a sophisticated signal processing engine which allows it to overdrive a signal without effecting the tonal balance. Punctuate is a multi-band transient modulator, allowing you to control the transient emphasis or suppression of all 26 critical bands with just 4 controls.
As a bundle, these plugins come in at a fantastic price, especially given the versatility, power and easy-of-use of the software.
Elevate Mastering Bundle Features
• Each plugin offers a huge range of features – click the link below to learn more.
This product is available for both Windows / Mac and 32-bit / 64-bit.
Click here to check best price + more info / reviews.
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