Does a limiter prevent all clipping?

It prevents output from crossing its ceiling when configured correctly, but cannot repair clipping already present upstream.

What ceiling should I use?

It depends on delivery. A conservative value around -1 dBTP is common for lossy streaming, but platform specifications vary.

Can a limiter make a mix louder?

Yes, by reducing peaks and allowing more gain, but excessive limiting changes transients and increases distortion.

Why measure after export?

Encoding and sample-rate conversion can create new inter-sample peaks not visible before export.

What Is an Audio Limiter and How to Use It Correctly

Limiter basics

A limiter is a high-ratio dynamics processor designed to prevent output from exceeding a ceiling. When an incoming peak would cross that ceiling, the limiter applies gain reduction. Unlike clipping, a limiter attempts to reshape level over time instead of abruptly cutting the waveform. Look-ahead limiters delay the signal slightly so they can react before a peak arrives. This improves control but can alter transients and add latency.

Ceiling, threshold and input gain

Different limiters expose different controls. Lowering a threshold or raising input gain pushes more signal into limiting. The ceiling sets the maximum intended output. A ceiling of 0 dBFS is not always safe because reconstruction and lossy encoding can create inter-sample peaks above the sample values. For streaming or compressed formats, a lower True Peak ceiling gives additional margin.

True Peak limiting

Sample-peak limiters watch stored samples, while True Peak limiters oversample or estimate the continuous waveform between them. This matters because a digital-to-analog converter or codec can reconstruct peaks higher than either neighboring sample. True Peak limiting reduces this risk, but the final exported file should still be measured. Codec conversion can alter peaks, especially when the master is dense and close to full scale.

How much gain reduction is too much?

There is no universal number, because clean results depend on genre, transients and limiter design. Occasional small reductions are often unobtrusive. Repeated deep reduction can flatten drums, distort bass, pull ambience forward and create fatigue. Watch the loudest section rather than only the intro. If the limiter works constantly, return to the mix, automation or earlier compression instead of forcing all control into the final stage.

Common limiter mistakes

Using a limiter to fix clipping already printed into the source does not restore the lost waveform. Setting the ceiling at 0 dBFS and ignoring True Peak may create overload after encoding. Chasing a LUFS number can destroy dynamics even though platforms turn loud masters down. Another mistake is judging without loudness matching. A limited version will usually seem more exciting simply because it is louder.

A practical limiting workflow

Use the cleanest mix with sensible headroom. Set the output ceiling for the destination, enable True Peak mode when available and increase input until only the necessary peaks are controlled. Compare at matched level and listen to kick, snare, bass, vocal sibilance and reverb. Measure integrated loudness and True Peak after export. If artifacts appear, reduce input or fix the source balance. WaveFixer True Peak Meter can verify the final file.