There are so many limiting and mastering plugins available today that you might wonder why an app developer would bother releasing another one. The fact is that if you bring a new approach to a basic process, there’s always a market for it. Thanks to a unique hybrid algorithm, Leapwing’s new LimitOne limiter plugin does just that, as it brings together the best of both frequency domain and time domain processing, offering a fresh perspective on how to approach audio limiting.
While audio limiting has long been a key tool for managing loudness and sound energy, LimitOne seeks to build on these existing foundations by offering a new method that encourages transparency and flexibility. Rather than attempting to replace traditional tools, LimitOne is about adding another option—one that combines elements of proven techniques with modern innovations.
Dual Algorithms
To that end, LimitOne is built around two main algorithms, each serving a specific purpose. The first is what the company calls Pufferfish, which is a frequency domain processor that aims to optimize the energy distribution across the whole frequency spectrum for a given Drive and Ceiling level. Essentially this means it’s a fully automated adaptive multiband dynamics controller.
The second algorithm they call Hedgehog, which is a time domain processor whose main purpose is to shape transients. It uses an adaptive control system that shares the same two parameters, Drive and Ceiling level.
Other Parameters
The plugin is built around a central display that graphically shows a time and spectral view of the gain reduction of your signal over time. Next comes the main 5 parameter controls, with the main two being Drive (how much signal you’re sending to the algorithm) and Ceiling (the maximum output level).
Under that are three additional parameters. Clipping can be set for either a soft gentle limiter (0) or hard knee clipper (100). Stereo Link is how the stereo channels are connected and how they affect each other, and Tilt is a tilt EQ on the input signal that boosts the highs/cuts the lows and vice versa.
A Dither section with Noise Shaping is also included in the event LimitOne is used last in a mastering chain and bit reduction is required.
LimitOne is available for Mac or PC and is currently on sale until December 9th. A 30 day free trial is also available. You can find out more here, or watch the video below.
