Waves L2 - How Many Songs?

grockvt · Post by **grockvt** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 4:59 pm

How many songs that I hear on the radio have the waves L2 plugin on them?

Is it as good as the hardware box?

I noticed turning off the ARC seems to let the high end breathe a lot better...true or am I wacked?

What is a better buss limiter to use?

Thanks!

dynomike · Post by **dynomike** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 5:19 pm

can't answer your question as to how many songs...

i know many mastering studios have the hardware L2, but many mastering guys are using plugins with great results.

if you haven't checked on the mastering forum on gearslutz, you might find that community useful if you like comparing peak limiters.

their picks are usually as follows:
sony (sonnox) oxford limiter
izotope ozone 3 limiter
waves l2
...

there is a fair amount of personal taste and 'for the song', i've found the ozone limiter to be the most well-rounded but i've tried the sonnox and its awesome too - a bit better for 'loud, loud' stuff. both an improvement over the l2, for me.

rwc · Post by **rwc** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 1:37 am

Don't bother with it.

Even if you put it on just to get it to peak at 0, when it is not limiting it's still changing the sound.

It will sound better without it, trust me on this one!

chris harris · Post by **chris harris** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 6:12 am

The UAD Precision Limiter is WORLDS BETTER than the L2. Lots of gain while maintaining transparency in the limiting.

Jeff White · Post by **Jeff White** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 7:49 am

I like the Limiter in Ozone3 for home mastering. However, if I was releasing a bar-coded project, I'd have it professionally mastered.

Jeff

GooberNumber9 · Post by **GooberNumber9** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 7:51 am

There's also the Massey limiter for us po' folks using PT.

heylow · Post by **heylow** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 5:38 pm

L2 = gross, caved-in stereo spectrum...and peaky, hard-sounding mid-range IMHO, and the L3 isn't much better. No tranparency at ALL. I agree that just having it in the chain with no reduction is even not cool.

If you're working in PT, TOTALLY go for the Massey Limiter. It's very nice and ridiculously priced!

[dt]

rwc · Post by **rwc** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 10:53 pm

while multiband compressors and various other compressors have imparted a desirable tone to the 2bus, I've never heard a "mastering limiter" like the L2, or the L3, or the ozone, or any of the alternatives that imparted a tone I liked. It was never even about making it better, it was about making it louder. It's about which does the least damage.

Which is why I think, it's a great idea to simply leave it off altogether.

Wilkesin · Post by **Wilkesin** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 9:38 pm

rwc wrote:It's about which does the least damage.

This is starting to be true for almost all compression for me. YMMV.

grockvt · Post by **grockvt** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 11:09 am

in some ways the RNC sounds better (super nice mode only) on a mix than the L2 plugin...

virtualsamana · Post by **virtualsamana** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 7:38 pm

grockvt wrote:in some ways the RNC sounds better (super nice mode only) on a mix than the L2 plugin...

I'll have to try the two and compare. Haven't done an A\B.

grockvt · Post by **grockvt** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 7:57 am

anyone have a chameleon 7720 and have they compared that to ITB bus dynamics?

ColinMiller · Post by **ColinMiller** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 11:08 am

I run every mix I ever do through both the hardware L2 and the plugin L3. The hardware version only for the converters, no limiting, and the plugin one without any limiting either.

Contrary to people claiming it makes the mix sound worse, this is 100% completely untrue. Definitely one of the few default plugins I use.

rwc · Post by **rwc** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 12:04 pm

ColinMiller wrote:I run every mix I ever do through both the hardware L2 and the plugin L3. The hardware version only for the converters, no limiting, and the plugin one without any limiting either.

Contrary to people claiming it makes the mix sound worse, this is 100% completely untrue. Definitely one of the few default plugins I use.

This is like saying flipping phase on drum mics doesn't change the sound.

It only doesn't if you're not listening.

MoreSpaceEcho · Post by **MoreSpaceEcho** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 1:43 pm

why run through a plug in limiter if you aren't doing any limiting?

Message Board

Waves L2 - How Many Songs?

Waves L2 - How Many Songs?

Who is online