TL Audio 5052 - Manual (Page 23)

4.29 Output Limiter.
The 5052 output limiter provides responsive yet natural control of output peaks -
making it ideal for preventing overload in digital recorders. Digital recorders will
distort in a very unmusical way when overloaded to any degree, so an output limiter
is an ideal way of preventing over-modulation occurring. A limiter is a more extreme
form of compression, and the 5052 limiter is programmed with a very high ratio, short
attack time and longer release time, resulting in a fast response “brick wall” action.
This means that once the output level of the 5052 has reached that of the limiter
threshold, it will be clamped at this maximum level no matter how much more input
signal is applied to the 5052.
A threshold control allows the limiter threshold to be varied between 0 and 20dB
(this indicates the actual level on the main balanced XLR line output), and the limiter
is activated by pulling out the threshold control (since this control incorporates a
push-pull switch). A green status LED indicates when the limiter is activated. A
second red ‘Limit’ LED illuminates when the threshold has been crossed and the
limiter is actively providing some gain reduction.
The limiter is positioned ‘post’ the output level control, so the user can be confident
that any increase in output gain will be precisely controlled.
A 0VU output reading on the 5052 should read approximately -14dB on a digital
recorder input (using +4dB connections) although this will vary with different
recorders. This means that most digital recorders will require +18dBu of analogue
input level to generate a 0dBfs full scale reading. If the 5052 limiter threshold is set to
approximately +17dB this would be just below the point where the digital recorder
may overload, so would be a useful threshold to limit the output of the 5052.
Bringing the threshold down further towards 0dB - so that the limiter is forced into
working harder - enables the limiter to be used as a more creative effects device, for
example on drums or drum loops.
4.30 Stereo Link Modes.
A key part of the 5052’s power lies in the ability to independently use the
compressor, EQ and limiter sections in ‘dual mono’ or ‘stereo linked’ mode. A bank
of three switches located in the bottom centre section of the 5052 allow the user to
separately link the compressor, EQ and limiter stages, at which point channel A’s