Big Clipper Review
February 15, 2023Sonnox Limiter Review
February 18, 2023Why trust my opinion? I’ve been using, testing, and earning a living from audio for the past 15 years. I love audio and finding great plugins I can share with others.Â
Fab Filter Pro L2 Review
As a mastering engineer, I’ve had the pleasure of using a wide variety of limiter plugins, but FabFilter Pro-L2 has quickly become one of my favorites (amongst many others I tested).Â
This plugin is perfect for anyone looking for a versatile, high-quality limiter that can handle a wide range of musical styles.
In this review of Fab Filter Pro L2 I’ll give you my honest opinion and my experience with the plugin.
Pros
- Versatile
- Efficient
- User Friendly
Cons
- Limited oversampling options
What is it good for:Â
- Mastering
- Mixing
- General audio processingÂ
In the test
One of the things I love about Pro-L2 is its new limiting Styles, which allow you to choose from a range of genre-tuned algorithms to get the perfect sound for your material.Â
The Aggressive style is perfect for in-your-face genres like metal, while the Bus style is ideal for gluing drum busses and individual tracks.Â
The Modern style is my go-to for transparency, while the Safe style is great for classical and acoustic music where you need no distortion whatsoever.
Pro-L2 also features modern LUFS metering and True Peak metering and limiting, which make it easy to get the perfect loudness levels for your tracks without introducing any distortion.
The True Peak Limiting feature is especially impressive, allowing you to flatten out any inter-sample peaks and ensuring undistorted conversion back to analogue in even the shoddiest of DACs.
User Interface
I’ve been using Pro-L2 for a few months now, and I’ve found it to be one of the most efficient limiters in my arsenal in terms of time spent setting up, adjusting, and using it.
It’s easy to use, and the graphical interface is simple and enjoyable. The addition of the Unity Gain option is also incredibly convenient, as it allows you to listen to the effect the limiting is having on the material without any associated increase in level.
Features
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Pros and cons
Pros
- Versatile: Pro-L2 has eight different limiting algorithms that can be applied to different program material, making it a great choice for a wide range of musical styles.
- Efficient: Pro-L2 is one of the most efficient limiters in terms of time spent setting up, adjusting, and using it, making it easy to get great results quickly.
- Modern LUFS metering: Pro-L2 features modern LUFS metering, making it easy to get the perfect loudness levels for your tracks without introducing any distortion.
- True Peak metering and limiting: Pro-L2’s True Peak metering and limiting feature is impressive, allowing you to flatten out any inter-sample peaks and ensuring undistorted conversion back to analogue in even the shoddiest of DACs.
- User-friendly: Pro-L2 has a graphical interface that is simple and enjoyable to use, with features like the Unity Gain option making it even easier to get great results.
Cons
- Limited oversampling options: While Pro-L2’s oversampling feature is generally considered to be one of the better implementations, it only goes up to 16 times oversampling, which may not be sufficient for some users.
- Not suitable for split-band limiting: Pro-L2 is not suitable for the very demanding situations where the split-band limiting. If you need more advanced, endlessly tweakable and flexible options, a product like DMG Audio’s Limitless might be a better choice for you.
Alternatives
While there are other great limiters on the market, such as DMG Audio’s Limitless, I think that FabFilter Pro-L2 is one of the best, most versatile and most popular limiters around.Â
The eight different limiting algorithms, True Peak metering and limiting, and modern LUFS metering make it a must-have for any serious mastering engineer or music producer.
Bute Limiter
If you are looking for a comprehensive and flexible solution for audio production, the BUTE Limiter 2 is an excellent choice.
TDR Limiter 6 GE Â
From delicate loudness control to brutal brick-walling, this plugin can greatly increase the perceived loudness of a mix while preserving superior musical fidelity and punch.
All in All
If you’re in the market for a limiter plugin, I highly recommend FabFilter Pro-L2.
It’s perfect for anyone looking for a high-quality limiter that can handle a wide range of musical styles and is easy to use.
However, if you’re looking for a limiter with split-band offerings or need more advanced, endlessly tweakable and flexible options, DMG Audio’s Limitless might be a better choice for you.
Thanks for reading.
Tom
Hey I’m Tom, I’m a mastering engineer here at Audio Unity Group. I mostly look after Vinyl production and audio side of things. I hold a bachelor’s degree with honours from Kingston University in London. I love audio and helping others create outstanding-sounding records.