Specifications

Chapter 5: DigiRack Real-Time TDM and RTAS Plug-Ins 43
Key Listen When enabled, this lets you listen to
the reference track controlling the side-chain in-
put. This is useful for fine tuning the Compres-
sor’s settings to the Key Input. Key Listen audi-
tions the right audio channel on RTAS and
AudioSuite versions of the Compressor.
Limiter II
The Limiter is used to prevent signal peaks from
ever exceeding a chosen level so that they don’t
overload amplifiers or recording devices. Most
limiters have ratios of 10:1 or 20:1, although
some provide ratios of up to 100:1. Large ratios
effectively limit the dynamic range of the signal
to a specific value by setting an absolute ceiling
for the dynamic range.
The Limiter’s ratio is internally set to 100:1, and
the Attack time defaults to 1 millisecond. The
Limiter is similar to heavy compression. It can
be useful for reducing pops and clicks, or for
hard-limiting dynamic range for broadcast or
band-limited mediums such as cassette.
Limiting is used to prevent short-term peaks
from reaching their full amplitude. Used judi-
ciously, limiting produces higher average levels,
while avoiding overload (clipping or distortion),
by limiting only some short-term transients in
the source audio. To prevent the ear from hear-
ing the gain changes, extremely short attack and
release times are used.
Limiting is used to remove only occasional
peaks because gain reduction on successive
peaks would be noticeable. If audio material
contains many peaks, the threshold should be
raised and the gain manually reduced so that
only occasional, extreme peaks are limited.
Limiter Controls
Phase Invert Inverts the phase (polarity) of the
input signal to change frequency response char-
acteristics between multi-miked sources or to
correct for miswired microphone cables.
Gain Provides overall output gain adjustment.
Input Meter Indicates the level of the unproc-
essed input signal to the Limiter.
Output Meter Indicates the output level of the
Limiter, including any gain compensation
added with the Gain control.
Reduction Indicates the amount by which the
signal is being attenuated.
Threshold Sets the threshold level. Signals that
exceed this level will be limited. Signals that are
below it will be unaffected.
Attack Sets the Limiter’s attack time. The
smaller the value, the faster the attack. The
faster the attack, the more rapidly the Limiter
applies attenuation to the signal. If you use fast
Key Listen is not saved with the other plug-
in settings.
Limiter II plug-in