I think the title says it all!

Thanks in advance!

 

DMG limitless if you want a more "set it and forget it" approach. TDR Limiter 6GE if you want to squerze every half dB of loudness with minimum distortion.

 

Waves MaxxVolume/MV2 do the job really well with the minimum of controls to fiddle with.
I personally use tokyo dawn records kotelnikov GE for such tasks where I need to bring up the lower level detail/if it's below typical RMS levels without messing up the peaking level part of the signal, It is a superb tool for all manner of dynamic jobs.
Then I have both the real deal and a plugin version by Softube of Dyna-mite by Valley People, It is a really great tool for shutting the dynamic range down into abuse and all sorts of transient manipulation, The Dyna-mite isn't as clean as TDR's Kotelnikov GE both real and the modeled variety but clean is not always what I'm looking for, I'll often use Kotelnikov GE for alot of the leg work then use a compressor with "character" or "personality"/"mojo" afterwards doing not much compression, Along with very liberal applications of parallel compression, mid/side also to boot which enables me to get where I want/need to be alot quicker.

Waves Arts Dialog along with McDSP offering quite a few options for "broadcast" style levelers, I think the most savage plugin wise I've got is between Sonalksis Uber Compressor/Creative Compressor and SoundToys DelivLoc and DevilLoc Deluxe (based on old Shure LevelLock units which are definately as brutal and crushing as SoundToys developed the plugin varient to be). RoughRider and RoughRiderPro by Audio Damage are goodun's which are not mentioned that often but can really due industrial strength dynamic range reduction.

I've probably forgotten to mention some bits and pieces but that should give you an idea of what I'm talking about/my tastes in such areas (the good, the bad and the fugly!). One setup that never fails is an 1176 type (Stillwell's Rocket is a pretty damned good one, About time that those got updated thinking about them) followed by an LA-2A type (or Joe Meek/other opto that doesn't "bite" down onto what it's beeing fed too fast with a pleasingly smooth release curve) in series with the 1176 grabbing aggressively at the quicker stuff and the LA-2A riding things out over a much longer period. The options are endless really, I've not mentioned anything multiband, Simply because that is it's own topic

All the best, Hope that's of some use, Unless I'm way off the mark on what you have in mind saying a quality leveller

Dean

Edit: Oh yeah, I forgot completely to mention Voxengo's Polysquasher, It is one of few ITB compressors that does not feck much with material you don't want it to, It's a really underated plugin IMextremelyHumbleHO. I notice peak-limiters and maximizers mentioned, Definately can not and would never disagree with that route, Especially if it's Vlad and Fabien and/or Dave Gamble's black magic coding that is going to be used

 

McDSP ML4000 (ML1) - FTW , you will not be disappointed.

 

Last edited: Jul 24, 2017

its best to use analog modeling plugins for that where input signal not hitting the plug very hard, also a compressor with ratio 1:5:1 threshold where 2 db of signal and attack 35ms or so, release about 5ms.

 

Sir Audio Standard Clip

 

OP said LEVELER not LIMITER.

Leveler : works on RMS etc
LIMITER: copss off peaks

try https://www.hornetplugins.com/plugins/hornet-autogain-pro-mk2/
or waves vocal rider.

 

could someone explain what a leveler is, please?

 

@ Phloopy,

Below, you'll find some suggestions :

FREE 32 Bit Versions : (but can be 'bridged' with 'jBridge' to be used within '64 Bit' DAWs as you know it)



'Optron 3A' (Audio Leveler)



'Terry West Steady Pro' (Smooth Auto Leveler)


FREE 64 Bit Version :



'Sonic Anomaly TriLeveler 2' (Broadcast Voice Leveler)

Not so FREE 64 Bit Versions : (but you know where to find some 'Try before buy' Versions... , isn't ? )



'Black Rooster Audio VLA-2A' (Vintage Leveling Amplifier)



'Black Rooster Audio VLA-3A' (Vintage Leveling Amplifier)


P.S: For the FREE Versions, simply 'googlelize' a little, then you'll find some websites to get these 'in a breeze'...

 

Don't you have volume faders to level?