Mastering Limiter Settings (Loud but Clean)
Published · updated · by Loopin
The limiter is the last stage of the chain, and getting it right is the difference between a master that’s loud and clean and one that’s just crushed. Set your true-peak ceiling to −1 dBTP, raise the input until you reach about −14 LUFS integrated, and keep the gain reduction modest. Here’s how each control works and why loudness targets beat maximum loudness.
What the limiter actually does
The limiter sits last in the mastering chain. It sets a hard ceiling that peaks can’t cross and raises the overall level up to that ceiling, so the master arrives at a competitive loudness without clipping.
Two controls do the work: the output/true-peak ceiling (how high peaks are allowed to reach) and the input/gain (how hard you drive the signal into the limiter). Everything else is about balancing loudness against how much you’re willing to squash.
Set the ceiling to −1 dBTP
Set the output ceiling to −1 dBTP (true-peak). That 1 dB of margin below full scale matters: lossy encoders like MP3 and AAC can push reconstructed peaks slightly higher than the original samples, and a ceiling at 0 dBFS would then clip on playback.
The ceiling is a hard wall — nothing crosses it — so setting it a decibel down is cheap insurance that costs you almost no perceived loudness. It’s the single most important number in the whole limiter stage.
For Amazon, use a −2 dBTP ceiling to satisfy its stricter true-peak requirement. Otherwise −1 dBTP is the reliable, platform-safe default that works across Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and the rest.
Raise input until you hit about −14 LUFS
Loudness comes from the input/gain control, not the ceiling. Push more signal into the limiter and the integrated loudness rises while the peaks stay pinned under the ceiling. Raise it until you reach about −14 LUFS integrated, the common reference point for streaming.
Use an integrated LUFS reading — the average over the whole song — not a short-term or momentary value, which jumps around too much to target. Play the loudest section of the track while you set it, so the quieter parts sit comfortably under your ceiling.
−14 LUFS is a target, not a wall to slam into. Many platforms normalise louder masters down anyway, so pushing well past it usually just costs you dynamics for no extra perceived loudness on playback.
Keep gain reduction modest
Watch the gain-reduction meter and keep it to a few dB at most. Modest limiting brings the level up cleanly; heavy limiting flattens transients and pumps, turning a punchy mix into a lifeless, fatiguing wall.
The limiter is a finishing tool, not a rescue tool — it can only work with the dynamics the rest of the chain hands it. If you need 6, 8 or 10 dB of limiting just to reach −14 LUFS, the real problem is upstream: too much unruly low end eating headroom, weak bus glue, or a mix that’s simply too dynamic and uneven.
Fix those first with corrective EQ and gentle compression, and the limiter will only need a few clean dB to finish the job. Squashed transients can’t be recovered afterward — this is the whole logic of the chain, where each stage does a little so the limiter never has to do a lot.
Use true-peak, not just sample-peak
Always engage true-peak limiting rather than plain sample-peak. Sample-peak metering only looks at the existing samples; true-peak reconstructs the analog waveform between samples, catching the inter-sample peaks that overshoot after conversion or lossy encoding.
A master that reads −1 dBFS on a sample meter can still clip on playback because its true peaks are higher. True-peak limiting is what actually keeps your −1 dBTP ceiling honest across every platform and device.
Loudness target over maximum loudness
The old loudness war — master as loud as physically possible — is over. Streaming normalisation means the loudest master doesn’t win; it just plays back at the same level as everyone else, minus the dynamics you sacrificed to get there.
Aim for a loudness target (around −14 LUFS) rather than maximum loudness, and let the music keep its punch. A dynamic master at the right level beats a crushed one every time. If you want to hear this for yourself, run a track through Loopin’s online mastering and A/B it — you’ll notice it’s competitively loud without the flatness that heavy limiting brings.
Dial it in, step by step
Here’s a reliable order of operations for the limiter stage:
- Set the output ceiling to −1 dBTP (−2 dBTP if you’re targeting Amazon).
- Enable true-peak limiting, not sample-peak.
- Slowly raise the input/gain, watching an integrated LUFS meter.
- Stop at about −14 LUFS integrated — the streaming reference.
- Check the gain-reduction meter: keep it to a few dB, and if it’s more, fix the mix or earlier chain instead.
- Prefer it done for you? Run the mix through Loopin’s free online mastering and its true-peak limiter targets −14 LUFS at a −1 dBTP ceiling automatically.
- A/B against the original at matched loudness to confirm it’s louder and still punchy.
Get a clean, loud master free
If you’d rather not babysit meters, Loopin’s free online mastering finishes with a two-pass loudness stage that targets about −14 LUFS and a true-peak limiter set to a −1 dBTP ceiling — loud enough for streaming, clean enough to keep its transients.
It runs entirely in your browser with nothing uploaded: free, no signup, no watermark, full-quality WAV export. Drop your mix in and get a master that’s loud but clean, without touching a single limiter control.
Frequently asked questions
What should I set my mastering limiter ceiling to?
Set the true-peak ceiling to −1 dBTP. That 1 dB of margin keeps lossy encoders like MP3 and AAC from clipping on playback. For Amazon, use a stricter −2 dBTP ceiling.
How do I make a master −14 LUFS?
Raise the limiter’s input/gain, watching an integrated LUFS meter, until you reach about −14 LUFS integrated. Keep the true-peak ceiling at −1 dBTP so loudness comes from input drive, not from lifting the ceiling.
How much gain reduction should a mastering limiter do?
Keep it modest — a few dB at most. Heavy limiting flattens transients and causes pumping, turning a punchy mix into a lifeless wall. If you need more just to hit −14 LUFS, fix the mix or earlier chain instead.
What is true-peak limiting and why does it matter?
True-peak limiting reconstructs the waveform between samples to catch inter-sample peaks that overshoot after conversion or lossy encoding. Sample-peak metering misses them, so a track can read safe but still clip on playback. Always use true-peak.
Should I master as loud as possible?
No. Streaming normalisation means the loudest master just plays back at the same level as everyone else, minus the dynamics you gave up. Aim for a loudness target around −14 LUFS and keep the music’s punch.