Review: IK Multimedia Stealth Limiter

8

Hey what’s good fam!

Here with another FX plugin that I think you should check out.

This one is a new limiter from IK Multimedia.

Let’s dig in!

So what is Stealth Limiter?

main_image_718x450The idea behind this limiter is to be totally transparent while raising the output of your track as much as desired.

The operation is very simple with a few key controls, just enough to allow you to get the results you need.

There’s 4 different mode, from totally transparent to a little bit of  analog “grit” with the harmonic modes.

You can quickly audition what the processed audio sounds like without listening to the raised output level, which gives you a great way to gauge exactly what you’re doing instead of simply hearing something that is louder and assuming it’s better.

On top of that you have a built in filter for sub frequencies and the inter-sample peak limiting which will allow you to get the best results once exporting by taking into account the analog waveform that will result from the digital source and compensating so you don’t get distortion…good stuff.

Quick Specs

How does it sound?

Reel to Reel Tape RecorderOf course as with any effect, this is all that really matters, and I can say that it doesn’t sound like anything!

I mean, that’s what you want from a transparent limiter right? I can raise the gain in really large amounts and the only thing I hear is louder music.

It doesn’t sound squashed, distorted, or any less dynamic. Sure you can use the harmonic modes and add a little “color” to your track, but even then it doesn’t sound much different unless you really push it to the max.

At the end of the day, I tested this thing against quite a few different limiters and it really is very transparent while providing plenty of gain.

So it sounds great, because it can sound like nothing, which is what I was looking for based on the name.

So what’s the bottom line?

If you want a nice clean limiter, this is definitely one to checkout.

There are tons of limiters on the market, and I tested this one against some really good processors, in various price ranges, and this one still remains one of the best in the bunch.

4andhalfsubsI give Stealth Limiter 4.5 out of 5 subs, it’s super easy to use, provides plenty of gain when you need it, and doesn’t ruin the dynamics of your track.

I compared it to products both third party as well as stock daw plugins and I was really impressed with how much it didn’t squash the track.

I’m not sure what they did, but it lives up to it’s name for sure.

If you’re looking for a bunch of color or something that can really squash your sound quickly (can be good in certain situations) then this isn’t what you want.

However, if you’re looking for a straightforward limiter that does its job without sacrificing your dynamics, you should definitely check out the Stealth Limiter

Go on over and read more about it, try the demo, or get your own copy: ikplugins.com/stealth

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think, as well as some of your favorite limiters.

 

8 Comments

  1. Thanks again for the review saintjoe! I know you don’t want to diss other dev’s, I have been liking the Fab Filter ProL lately because it doesn’t introduce the ISP’s that the Waves L series does, nor the nasty crunchiness , which sounds fine at the time, but as you know, gets fatiguing…. looking forward to checking this out, pretty impressed that you could get that much gain without distortion! (and 16x ipsl? nice!), … loudness which is unfortunately necessary these days, …well is best obtained transparently, and hopefully this does it without distorting the living bejesus out of it!

    Reply

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.