How to use Presonus Limiter in Studio One 4

The following tutorial shows the user how to use the Presonus Limiter plugin in Studio One 4.

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On the modern days of audio mixing, the digital tools that engineers use in order to shape the recorded sound are called Plugins. Plugins can emulate the behavior of vintage analog pieces of gear, or simply act as clean/linear digital signal processors, performing tasks such as equalization, compression, limiting, expansion, gating, time-domain effects, etc. Studio One 4 comes with a variety of proprietary plugins that can help the user mix a music production completely “in-the-box”.

One of the most used processors that come with Studio One is the Limiter, which can be defined as a compressor with a very high (infinity:1) ratio that does not let any signal surpass the set threshold.

For the purpose of this tutorial, we will explain how to use the Presonus Limiter plugin in Studio One 4:

 

  1. Open or create a new Studio One 4 song:

How to use Presonus Limiter in Studio One 4

 

 

2. Open and maximize the MIX tab:

How to use Presonus Limiter in Studio One 4

 

 

3. From the inserts list of the track, select “Limiter”:

How to use Presonus Limiter in Studio One 4

 

 

The Limiter plugin window will open as:

How to use Presonus Limiter in Studio One 4

 

 

It is easy to see from the previous picture, the Limiter plugin has several parameters that can be explained as:

  • Input: This knob adjusts the gain of the input signal.
  • Ceiling: This knob adjusts the maximum output level of the limiter.
  • Thresh: This knob allows the limiter to be used as a leveling amp. When the Threshold level is set below the ceiling, a soft knee and a 1:20 ratio between the threshold and ceiling values is used. The threshold setting is relative to the ceiling. The numerical display is an absolute value and it is variable from the ceiling value to 12 dB below ceiling value.
  • Release: This knob adjusts the time it takes the limiter to stop processing the signal once the input level has fallen below the ceiling level.
  • TP (True Peak): When this is engaged, the limiter will react to inter-sample peaks.
  • Softclip: When this is engaged, the square wave clipping characteristics will be reduced when the limiter is clipped.
  • PkRMS: When clicked, Peak/RMS metering will be engaged.
  • K-14: When clicked, K-14 metering will be engage.
  • K-12: When clicked, K-12 metering will be engage.
  • K20: When clicked, K-20 metering will be engage.

 

For the purpose of this tutorial, we will use the Limiter to prevent the signal from surpassing a -3 dB FS level. This will be done by applying a -3 dB ceiling and enabling the True Peak option. The Limiter plugin should be set as:

  • Input: 0 dB.
  • Ceiling: – 3 dB.
  • Thresh: -3 dB.
  • Release: 180 ms.
  • TP (True Peak): ON.
  • Softclip: OFF.
  • PkRMS: ON.
  • K-14: OFF.
  • K-12: OFF.
  • K20: OFF.

 

4. Apply the previous configuration, and the Limiter plugin should look like this:

How to use Presonus Limiter in Studio One 4

 

 

At this point we have successfully explained how to use and configure the Limiter plugin in Studio One 4. The tutorial has now finished.

 

Using Presonus Studio One 4 software to produce music would be ideal with one of our professionally designed PCAudioLabs Systems due our high-performance specifications in order to work with any of the Digital Audio Workstations supported. If you would like to order one of our PCAudioLabs computers, please call us at 615-933-6775 or click this link for our website.

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