Aphex Studio Dominator 700 - Program Limiters; Peak Limiters

they are looking for more "sustain"
for example. A limiter driven
effectively becomes a compressor.
or a different
to heavy gain
"texture!! J
reduction
Let us now depart from further elaborations about
compressors, and focus on two types of 1 imi teTS : tlpeak
1 imi ters" , and "program 1 imi ters" . At this point it is
important to solidify the definition of "peak level". This term
is taken to mean two different things in the audio industry.
Sometimes it is used to refer to the highest (or peak) VU level
occuring in an audio program. Other times it is used to refer
to the actual peak amplitude of the audio wave, which would be
measured on a peak program meter (ppm) or an oscilloscope
display, but not on a VU meter. Let us define "peak level" as
the true peak waveform amplitude, and "peak program" as the
highest VU level.
3.6.1 Program Limiters
With these definitions in mind, a "program limiter" can
be described as a limiter having all the previously defined
characteristics of a limiter, and whose detection circuits
result in limiting the "peak program" level (as measured on a VU
meter) to a specified level, usually zero VU, without regard for
the peak level .
3.6.2 Peak Limiters
A "peak limiter" is used where the absolute audio waveform
amplitude cannot be allowed to exceed a given value. Most audio
systems produce particularly objectionable distortion when
driven to overload, so peak limiters are often used to maintain
safe peak levels below any system clipping to guarantee a
distortion free system. Limiters in this application are
sometimes referred to as "protection limiters". Another
appl ication of peak 1imi ters is "modulation limi ting " in a
broadcast situation where a specified peak level is defined as
100 percent modulation which must not be exceeded.
Peak limiters are usually characterized by fast
attack and release times, a very high compression ratio and a
high threshold such that no gain reduction takes place for
signals whose peak level is under the overload point of the
system. Limiters wlth very fast release tend to generate
distortion under continuous gain reduction, but for protection
limiting where limiting is brief, the fast action tends to be
practically unnoticeable, maintaining a clean sounding audio
system.
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