Oxford Limiter — Free Download
A professional true peak limiter offering transparent loudness maximization, advanced look-ahead processing, and an Enhance function for creative density, with precise metering and reconstruction overload correction.
Purpose
The Oxford Limiter is a true peak limiter designed to increase loudness, density, and presence while preserving clarity and transient detail. Unlike conventional brick-wall limiters, it uses advanced look-ahead processing to catch sample-value peaks before they cause distortion.
Its hallmark is transparency, but it also supports heavier creative effects when needed. The plug-in conforms to the ITU-R BS.1770-4 true peak measurement standard, so you can safely meet broadcast and streaming loudness requirements without worrying about inter-sample overs.
Key Capabilities
Core controls include attack, release, and a variable soft-knee, giving you flexible shaping of the limiting response. The unique Enhance section boosts perceived loudness musically, adding density and presence without harshness.
A dedicated recon meter displays the actual reconstructed signal, not just the sampled values. An Auto Comp feature automatically corrects reconstruction overloads—invisible errors that occur between samples—while retaining overall loudness. This ensures your final output is clean and compliant.
Workflow
Start with a factory preset as a foundation, then adjust attack and release to match your material’s transients. Use the soft-knee to blend limiting more gently for transparent results or more aggressively for a glued, dense sound.
Engage the Enhance function to add perceived loudness without pushing gain reduction too far. Watch the recon meter to spot any reconstruction errors; if present, enable Auto Comp to fix them automatically. Finally, audition dither options for 16-bit or 24-bit output, choosing from four variable-strength noise shaping modes to suit the program’s dynamics.
Practical Applications
Ideal for mastering, the Oxford Limiter lets you maximize loudness for commercial releases while keeping transients intact. It also works well on individual buses—like drums or vocals—where you need controlled density without pumping.
The TPDF dither and noise shaping options make it suitable for final bounce to lower word lengths. The Auto Comp feature is especially useful for streaming masters, where true peak compliance is critical. Full backward compatibility with previous versions ensures your session recall remains stable.
Key features
- True peak limiting with attack, release, and variable soft-knee
- Enhance section for increased perceived loudness
- Recon meter displays actual signal, not just samples
- Auto Comp corrects reconstruction overloads automatically
- TPDF dither for 16-bit and 24-bit output word lengths
- Four variable-strength noise shaping modes
- Factory presets for quick starting points
Best for
Mastering engineers and producers who need transparent loudness maximization with true peak compliance, especially for streaming and broadcast deliveries, while retaining the option for creative density on individual tracks.
