L1 Ultramaximizer

Mono/stereo limiter with refined resolution control

Maximize Mastering Levels with
the Classic Look-Ahead Peak Limiter

Waves’ first-ever limiter, L1 quickly became a favorite among audio engineers, whether to control peaks, change the dynamics and character of musical instruments, or make louder masters that explode out of the speakers.

Transparent and punchy, L1 offers true peak limiting that eliminates inter-sample clipping. It maximizes both the level of the digital signal and the resolution of the final file. It offers superb re-quantization for all bit depths. Its look-ahead peak limiter enables you to increase sound file resolution and production master levels with precise control and dithering options.

L1’s limiter section is capable of a very fast, overshoot-free response. Because a typical music signal contains many high-intensity, short-duration peaks, simple normalization of the file may result in a low average signal level. L1 can significantly increase the average signal level of an audio file without introducing audible side effects.

True Peak limiting accommodates streaming services’ needs
Fast, overshoot-free response to minimize distortion
Look-ahead for instantaneous attack time
Auto-release optimizes response to changes in dynamics
IDR dithering for increased digital resolution
Multiple dithering and noise-shaping options
Low-latency processing for live sound mixing
Single-band limiting for traditional dynamics effect

Watch It in Action

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What Top Pros Are Saying

[{"itemID":1524,"itemGUID":"fc486e34-054e-41f3-938c-72349837711e","artistName":"Gil Norton","artistTitle":"Producer","credits":"Foo Fighters, Pixies, Stornoway","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/gil-norton.png","quote":"L1 locks down the dynamics of the track without over-compressing. It allows you to really make things upfront and aggressive. ","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":1},{"itemID":1976,"itemGUID":"07a0bc21-f3ac-44d6-af59-78f9a6894285","artistName":"Carlos Paucar","artistTitle":"Producer, Recording \u0026 Mixing Engineer","credits":"Enrique Iglesias, Shakira, Chris Brown, Jewel","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/carlos-paucar.png","quote":"A lot of people go for the later L-series plugins, but I love L1. I use it to get a crunchy midrange on some of my tracks. It really makes things pop.","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":2},{"itemID":2077,"itemGUID":"6182fea8-1444-4ac0-87e4-b69702e20742","artistName":"Chris Craker","artistTitle":"Musician, Producer, Composer","credits":"Hans Zimmer, Lang Lang, Leona Lewis, London Symphony Orchestra","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/chris-craker.png","quote":"I have used the original Ultramaximizer, the L1, since day one and still do today! It is a truly useful tool to enhance pretty much anything that I am preparing. It\u0027s an absolute \u0027go-to\u0027 and an essential part of my tool kit.","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":3},{"itemID":1527,"itemGUID":"f9bb20ab-bdcd-404e-aac9-a46846e316e8","artistName":"Richard Chycki","artistTitle":"Guitarist, Engineer","credits":"Dream Theater, Aerosmith, Rush","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/richard-chycki.png","quote":"I often use just a touch of L1 on an individual track to really help it sit well in a mix while preserving the dynamics of the performance.","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":4},{"itemID":3025,"itemGUID":"ea803e72-6ecc-485b-8b62-4a7b3e48e90a","artistName":"Mar\u00EDa Elisa Ayerbe","artistTitle":"Mixing Engineer","credits":"Marc Anthony, New Kids on the Block, Juanes, Il Divo","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/maria-elisa-ayerbe.png","quote":"L1 is one of my favorite plugins. From adding punch to a kick drum to taming peaks on a vocal, L1 is an incredibly diverse tool. All you need to do is drop the threshold and listen.","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":5},{"itemID":1525,"itemGUID":"9693f84a-220b-4bc3-87ea-831ff346f1f3","artistName":"Bryan \u0022Froggy\u0022 Cross","artistTitle":"FOH \u0026 Monitor Engineer","credits":"The Pussycat Dolls, Christina Aguilera , Sublime","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/bryan-froggy-cross.png","quote":"When I\u2019m putting together a live session for an artist and certain stems lack a little punch, inserting the L1 brings the stem back to life.","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":6},{"itemID":2383,"itemGUID":"2116cd1b-5547-4c96-ab0b-4aeaa9d16a75","artistName":"Carl Bown","artistTitle":"Producer, Engineer, Mixer","credits":"Bullet For My Valentine, While She Sleeps, Trivium, Fightstar","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/carl-bown.png","quote":"The L1 is my absolute go-to limiter; nothing sounds quite like it for bringing sounds right up front. I can use it surgically to stop the random overs, and it also sounds utterly fantastic when smashing things to bits.","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":7},{"itemID":2148,"itemGUID":"8cde7e38-8fc7-4079-975c-c0b627dc7172","artistName":"Mike Flannery","artistTitle":"Producer, Songwriter, Recording Artist","credits":"Mr. Flannery and His Feelings, Little-T and One Track Mike, Flannery Brothers","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/michael-flannery.png","quote":"The plugin I reach for the most is the L1 Limiter. It\u0027s simple to use, sounds incredibly transparent, and keeps my output matching the rigorous specs that I\u0027m handed for film and voiceover work.","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":8},{"itemID":2419,"itemGUID":"15e1d711-e1c3-4073-8b45-a41966b0a40e","artistName":"Jeremy SH Griffith","artistTitle":"Producers \u0026 Engineers","credits":"Johnnyswim, Leslie Odom Jr., Five Iron Frenzy, Kari Jobe","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/jeremy-sh-griffith.png","quote":"This is my favorite basic limiter to brick wall anything that needs to be brick walled.","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":9},{"itemID":2256,"itemGUID":"08e36ae9-228d-4278-b74c-92dba31a2188","artistName":"Julian Slater","artistTitle":"Re-recording Mixer, Sound Designer","credits":"Baby Driver, Last Night in Soho, Jumanji: Welcome to The Jungle, The Trial of the Chicago 7","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/julian-slater.png","quote":"The L1 Ultramaximizer is my first stop for giving my FX the punch required to live and breathe in a tight and complicated mix.","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":10},{"itemID":371,"itemGUID":"f80a7018-cf16-418c-a052-885ee0f19469","artistName":"Scott Martin Gershin","artistTitle":"Sound Supervisor, Sound Designer, Re-recording Mixer","credits":"American Beauty, Nightcrawler, Maya \u0026 the Three, Pacific Rim","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/scott-martin-gershin.png","quote":"I like the edge it creates and the way it cuts through a mix. It adds bite to anything it\u2019s used on\u2014a real workhorse.","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":11},{"itemID":372,"itemGUID":"e7da7989-c898-43ca-8a16-052cefdf9307","artistName":"Charles Deenen","artistTitle":"Sound Designer","credits":"The Fast and the Furious, Need for Speed","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/charles-deenen.png","quote":"One of my favorite plugins. You can use it in so many ways\u2014anything from a final limiter to crunching your sounds to the max.","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":12},{"itemID":1526,"itemGUID":"3ffc447c-c770-4138-b596-427f13bf3a71","artistName":"Benny Mouthon, CAS","artistTitle":"Re-Recording Mixer, Supervising Sound Editor","credits":"\u003Ci\u003EAnthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown\u003C/i\u003E, \u003Ci\u003EMind Of A Chef\u003C/i\u003E, \u003Ci\u003ESomebody Feed Phil\u003C/i\u003E, \u003Ci\u003EAmerican Experience\u003C/i\u003E","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/benny-mouthon.png","quote":"On TV, it\u2019s imperative that nothing peaks past a certain point. With the L1, NOTHING gets past that point.","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":13}]

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