Compressor meter doesn't match the output meter

Try changing the detector type to Peak. It responds faster than RMS and might work better for limiting.

That made a slight difference as did cranking up the release time. I'm still at -15dB.
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I agree that a real brickwall limiter on a dedicated block would be great. I'm sure this is my ignorance talking, but it seems like it would be simple to program and very light on CPU. If signal > X, signal = X.
 
I agree that a real brickwall limiter on a dedicated block would be great. I'm sure this is my ignorance talking, but it seems like it would be simple to program and very light on CPU. If signal > X, signal = X.
That right there is the textbook definition of absolutely hard clipping. It's NOT limiting or compression.

Luckily there's Cliff :)
 
Yeah, to preserve the frequency content and tone of the source signal, the level has to be adjusted in such a way that as much of the original waveform shape stays intact as possible. For the most part, you want a quieter version of the original signal, not a totally reshaped waveform.
 
I found that using a softer knee helps taming the peaks. The compressor simply starts to react a bit sooner.

I would keep the release short ~50ms. If you need longer release times, it sounds like you're not just limiting peaks, you are really digging into the bulk of the sound. In that case, it is probably better to just reduce the volume.
 
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That made a slight difference as did cranking up the release time. I'm still at -15dB.
View attachment 76259

I agree that a real brickwall limiter on a dedicated block would be great. I'm sure this is my ignorance talking, but it seems like it would be simple to program and very light on CPU. If signal > X, signal = X.
That's not a limiter, that's a clipper and it would sound terrible.

A true limiter in the output block would be no lighter on CPU than using a compressor block as a limiter. The compressor block is expressly designed to also be used as a limiter. Set the ratio to maximum and detector type to peak.
 
One thing I've noticed is turning the ratio all the way up in Axe Edit changes it to Infinite, but if you switch pages and back, it changes to 20.0 instead of Infinite. I know for all practical purposes 20:1 is pretty much the same as a limiter, but wondered if this was a display bug or what.
 
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