Limiter release time.

[Oren]

Here's one that always confuses me...

Release time setting on a limiter.

JAMin has a final limiter for mastering that has a variable release time. 50.12 milliseconds is the default release time, but I set it to the shortest time, 10 milliseconds, to get the fastest response possible.
Now I'm beginning to hear some unusual sound effects (warbling?) in some of the MP3s I've created, and I'm wondering if it's the result of this 10 millisecond setting.

Edit: I think I've set the release too fast...have a look at this very informative page...
http://www.ethanwiner.com/compressors.html

Does anyone have a recommendation as to a general-purpose limiter release time setting that will work well under most conditions?

[rharv]

Try pushing it up over 100 ms

[Oren]

Try pushing it up over 100 ms

Thanks, pardner

Upon doing some reading on JAMin - http://jamin.sourceforge.net/en/about.html - the method of adjusting the final limiter becomes very manageable.
It is a "look ahead" brickwall limiter, so no matter what your release time and peak limit settings, transients will not exceed the peak limit setting, and release time is simply a matter of how "smooth" (in terms of audio levels) you want the resulting audio file to sound. Longer release times result in smoother dynamics.

Since I am a big fan of smooth, I'll henceforth set my final limiter to about 250 milliseconds (1/4 of a second), and the peak limit to -0.3 dB, so that peak levels remain slightly below the 0dB clipping point.

End of story

[Wyatt]

Try pushing it up over 100 ms

Thanks, pardner

Upon doing some reading on JAMin - http://jamin.sourceforge.net/en/about.html - the method of adjusting the final limiter becomes very manageable.
It is a "look ahead" brickwall limiter, so no matter what your release time and peak limit settings, transients will not exceed the peak limit setting, and release time is simply a matter of how "smooth" (in terms of audio levels) you want the resulting audio file to sound. Longer release times result in smoother dynamics.

Since I am a big fan of smooth, I'll henceforth set my final limiter to about 250 milliseconds (1/4 of a second), and the peak limit to -0.3 dB, so that peak levels remain slightly below the 0dB clipping point.

End of story

Beginning of story here!   

Thanks guys.



Wyatt

[folderol]

Excellent piece of research there Oren, and definitely something I must keep in mind.

Incidentally I read somewhere that the principal authors of JAMin are all experienced audio engineers. Now who would have expected that? 

[rharv]

Normal setting here for a starting point is about 200 MS. I suggested trying 100 just because the 50 MS spec you mentioned seemed so low. I figured I'd get you to double it and notice the difference.
 Glad you got it sussed.

[Oren]

Glad you got it sussed.

What a team we got going here