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Chapter 4 Dynamic 51
Following the Adaptive Limiter process, tracks normalized to 0 dB appear to sound
about 2 dB louder, depending on the source signal. As with other Logic dynamic
processes, this plug-in also features a lookahead facility (the Lookahead parameter can
be set in Controls view, allowing the Adaptive Limiter to look into the future. The
Adaptive Limiter reacts to level peaks in signals streaming from the hard disk before
they are played back, and delaying the monitored signal. The typical use of the
Adaptive Limiter is in the summed mix. It is placed after the Multipressor and before
Gain, in order to produce a CD of maximum loudness. As the Adaptive Limiter
compresses signals, it can produce results which sound louder than those resulting
from normalizing in the Sample Editor.
Start the process by adjusting the Input Scale, just as you would set a mixing desk’s
Gain parameter, or a digital recorder’s recording level. The parameter behaves much
like a Gain control, but its purpose is to adjust the input level, which must never exceed
0 dBFS. Adjust the Gain parameter to musically control the internal process of peak
smoothing and gain increase.
Out Ceiling reduces the output level of the process in very fine steps within a range of
only 2 dB. This is no threshold control, just a simple output gain.
The Mode menu in the Adaptive Limiter’s Controls view allows you to choose between
two different forms of peak smoothing. If you choose:
• OptFit, the signal will be limited by following a linear curve. This form of peak
smoothing allows signal peaks that exceed 0 dB.
• NoOver ensures that the signal never surpasses 0 dB, avoiding distortion artefacts.
Remove DC (Controls view) activates a highpass filter that removes direct current from
the signal. When using poorly constructed audio hardware, direct current (DC) can be
undesirably layered over the audio signal.
The Margin display shows the maximum measured level. To reset, click the Over lamps.