Decided to test them once for a lifetime, here is my list so far (tested mainly on club music):

1. IK Stealth Limiter - it is the loudest out of all I tested, while respecting source dynamics, clarity and transients, my favourite out of all maximizers I demo'ed. It kind of distorts more "gracefuly" in stereo instead of mono when pushed hard? Don't know how to describe it, but somehow it maintains dynamics and makes distortion less noticable than competition while going really loud, this plugin really feels special. It's the plugin that gives you "hardware feeling" although I know hardware is worse than software at maximizing. This maximizer just gives me that magic feeling
2. AOM Invisible Limiter - I thinks it shares the same code as Stealth Limiter, it has just more controls (in G2 version) but at the end I slightly prefer IK Stealth for simplicity and GUI. If you want to make Invisible Limiter sound the same as Stealth "Tight" make sure they are on the same oversampling options + if you want G2 sound the same make sure it's on "Modern V", knee and stereo link 0%. Balanced on Stealth Limiter is kind of tricky, couldn't replicate it fully in Inv Lim G2
3. FabFilter Pro-L 2 - definitely can't get as loud as two above, but I think it is because of respect for transients and avoiding distortion at all costs (even when you go for +20dB it hard-compensates for it). You can make it sound distorted though if you want to with fast release and no lookahead. Good bread and butter maximizer if you are not fighting for absolute maximum loudness + it has plenty of different modes to choose from. This and Stealth are only two maximizers I need
4. Ozone Maximizer IRC IV - can get close to AOM and IK in loudness, however it will compress the signal more and thus it's more pumping and has more distortion in the lower midrange, also I noticed transients are worse (probably because of compression under the hood). Not a bad maximizer by any means
5. TB Barricade - same story as with Ozone, it equals the dynamics like a compressor but it's surprisingly clean considering the price
6. DMG Limitless - not bad and definitely can get quality masters out of it, but I struggle with all the options, definitely prefer more idiotproof limiters, but it is well regarded on the internet
7. Slate FG-X - tested it for a moment, I think it was kind of a benchmark back then, I don't thinks it is anymore but as far as I remember it was pretty good and loud
8. PSP Xenon - can't remember exactly how it was as I tested it long ago, all I remember is it was very transparent when pushed hard, kind of like Pro-L, it was just hard to make it sound bad, but as I said it was long ago and I can't speak for loudness, only heard good things about this maximizer though
9. TBProAudio LAxLimit - I have mixed feelings about this one sometimes it can get louder and clearer than Ozone and sometimes it can't get even close in lufs without distorting, don't know what am I doing wrong
10. Softube MM-1 - wow, this one disappointed me so much after reading so many good reviews... While it definitely could go loud respecting transients and dynamics, there is just so much fucking "grainy" distortion when it is limiting, just low pass the source material at less than 500Hz (before MM-1) and push it hard to hear exactly what I'm talking about. Wtf Softube, you have so many quality plugins yet this one feels literally like it is bugged (maybe it is, installed big wave version)
11. Waves L2 - tested this one quite long ago, all I remember is that it wasn't too clean when compared to modern competition, I guess it was good when freshly released sometime B.C.
12. Ableton Limiter - if anyone is wondering - as much as I love Ableton this limiter is just bad for mastering, but it's a stock plugin and probably not meant for maximizing. Remember Color Limiter to be better but still not a proper mastering maximizer

I'm only a random fucktard from the internet to most of you, but I think I know how to A/B plugins, really curious about your fav maximizers
Latency + cpu usage is really not that important when talking about mastering plugins I think

was a bit bored, maybe someone will find it interesting

 

Last edited: Aug 12, 2022

Just for giggles, try Maserati GRP on its master setting.

 

Will reply in 15 minutes
edit: it's like umtSS umtSS (boosting highs...) compared to stealth limiter, pretty bad and distorts way too much at same LUFS
edit2: but tweaking it a bit I can get close to stealth... interesting stuff my friend, need to test it more I guess :D
edit3: you know what's good my friend, I haven't tested this one in the past but it's good, distorts definitely more than stealth but it's not baaad

 

Last edited: Aug 17, 2022

What do you think of "Kratos 2 Maximizer" I've been testing it for a while and I found it interesting. I would like to read your opinion.

Edit ;

The best (for me) that I have tried is the Sonnox Maximizer, I don't remember the name. I haven't used it for a long time since it is no longer available for 64 bits (Sister site)

Do you think there is a better one? which would be for you?

 

Sonnox Inflator, my favourite

 

Definitely going to try Kratos and Inflator when I'm sober, heard good things

 

That same one! I didn't remember the name.

 

if I want to get a quick/fast and loud bounce so I can let someone check out the tune, I will use a Limiter like this. Which is almost never.

I love ProL2, but I always clip gain into it; rather than using it to bring up volume drastically. I will see what I need to add to get to my target LUFS using ProL2, then reset L2 and go manually type in the Gain amount that I just subtracted away from my limiter. This lets my limiter not being triggered all over the place.

I also really like Elysia Alpha Master Limiter a lot, but I can kind of understand why you may have omitted it from this.

 

For a while i've ben using the Weiss DS1-mk3 for limiting purposes, the others i've tried tend to mudden or just change things up a little and the transients just don't feel right, the problem of course is that the DS1 distorts pretty fast if you're not careful. After some blind testing i'm now leaning towards the Pro L2, didn't like it that much before but i think i'm getting the hang of it.

That in terms of limiting. In terms of plugin, however, i think the DS1 still has the upper hand with all the things it can do besides limiting, and i very rarely need more loudness than what i can get with that, so maybe i'll stick to the DS1. We'll see.

 

ProL2 is a very deep plugin for something made to address such a "simple task". But when you knock ProC2 in front of your L2 instance; then
set the C2 to 4X and the L2 to 16X oversampling for your bounce, you will say " I found my Limiter and I'm done looking." Well, I have anyway. ProL2 is butter.

 

My main goal FOR NOW is not to use a limiter so much that I actually end up needing to care about which one to choose... but that was rather informative tho personal. Thanks!

Afaik Inflator isn't a maximizer (a set threshold that "expands", aka makes louder, an audio signal everytime it crosses it according to set time parameters), it is a waveshaper (aka distortion, a device that distorts an audio signal that crosses a set threshold regardless of time parameters).

I still use Pro-L 2, I never reduce more than 2db so I think I'm fine with it but now I'm curious about Stealth Limiter.

 

Last edited: Aug 12, 2022

To go loud on Pro L2 go for Aggressive / Modern, low lookahead, min 3000 attack and like max 10ms release.
Newfangled Elevate can go crazy loud too.

 

Using TDR Limiter for volume maximization. Works good enough for me lol

 

OTT and God Particle for days

 

With limiters i like use them in conjunction with other limiters and boost each limiter with half a db of gain this way I’m not pushing one limiter to hard . My go to is the bx true peak , fabfilter pro L2 , alongside the shadow hills class a console . I’m still in love with the t-racks clipper it does it’s job to add a db or two of gain before hitting the limiters . Before I process through the digital plugins I send it out to outboard drawmer /dbx limiters. Again just half a db of gain . I don’t claim to no it all or be the best at what I do but these are tips / lessons I’ve picked up . I’ve been in the dnb scene for 20+ years and now days people want the masters slammed to the floor hitting -6lufs not understanding Dynamics is key to a great sounding produced track i find it a lot with younger heads , myself I personally like to hear kicks boom and snares slap you across the face . Again not understanding what compression and limiting is doing to the track (sucking the life out of it ) sorry if I seamed to have taken your question of track . In regards to the other limiters/compressors your talking about not had the pleasure of using the softube yet the ozone maximiser is great in fact it can achieve a very loud master but it does create overs well I find it does in the isp meter if pushed to hard . Waves l2 sounds great but I find it can pushed to hard easily reaching into added harmonics /distortion
mate the best limiters/compressors will be the ones you use every day and learn the sound of , what being colouration is being added . That’s when we become stuck in our ways and use what we know does the jobs we want . One thing I loved this site and sister site for it ended up giving me the understanding you can have a drive full of tools but if you don’t know how to use it that drive may aswell not exist .
Lol I’m going on a bit sorry mate

 

Try Invisible Limiter G3 on 1.4 MHz oversampling shaping the pivot angle of the attack and release curves, going as hard as you can without distortion

 

How loud did you master?

 

There are a few very nice limiters Out there , i Personaly Like the Farbfilter L 2 the Most because of its versatility but i mean why you want to master over -13 DB Lufs ?

 

My reasoning for loud masters is because clients listen to other competing music , they want there tracks to same loudness . Most refrence tracks I sent are hitting between -8 / -6 lufs with a true peak of zero db and most have isp peaks 2db above 0 . The loudness war still continues in the dnb scene and always will , when people use the likes of pendulum and nosia as references those guys are slamming tracks down to -4lufs . Myself I send clients a loud -8 lufs master to compare against the reference tracks they submit and also send a master at -12lufs which has kept dynamics and there’s still life to breath in the track . Most labels I work with all have there tracks hitting that hard but then these are digital releases , with vinyl it’s completely different Loudness takes up space which is needed for the lowend to breath . Again sorry for taking your post of topic.

 

Flatline?