Should I Remove the Limiter Before Mastering?
If you have a limiter on your master channel, should you remove it before sending your mix off for mastering?
In most cases, yes. If the limiter is only there to make the mix louder, bypass it before exporting the version you send for mastering. This gives the mastering engineer more freedom to control the dynamics, preserve the punch of the mix and decide how the final loudness should be achieved.
There is one important exception. If the limiter is contributing to the character, balance or impact of the mix, removing it may change the track considerably. In that situation, send both an unlimited version and a limited version for reference.
The basic rule is simple:
If the limiter is only making the mix louder, remove it. If it is helping to create the sound of the mix, send both versions.
The Simple Answer
You should usually remove the limiter before mastering if you added it near the end of the process simply to make the mix louder.
A limiter reduces the highest peaks in the track, allowing the overall level to be pushed up. That can be useful while you are working and comparing your mix against finished releases, but it also means some of the dynamics have already been changed before mastering begins.
Bypassing the limiter gives the mastering engineer a cleaner and more flexible starting point.
Simply turning down the limiter’s output is not the same as removing it. If the limiter is still reducing the peaks, that processing is still being applied even if the file is no longer particularly loud.
Instead, bypass the limiter and export a version without it.
Why an Unlimited Mix Helps
Mastering is not simply about making a track louder. It also involves controlling the dynamics, refining the tonal balance and making sure the finished track translates properly across different playback systems.
If the mix has already been heavily limited, peaks may have been flattened, drum transients may have lost some impact, and distortion or pumping may already be baked into the file.
An unlimited mix usually gives me more room to work with those elements properly.
That does not mean a limited mix is automatically unusable. Light limiting may cause very few problems. The issue is that once the limiting has been applied to the exported file, turning it down cannot restore the dynamics that were there before.
When to Keep the Limiter On
Not every limiter is being used purely for loudness. Sometimes it becomes an important part of how the mix sounds.
You Mixed Into the Limiter
Some artists and producers mix with a limiter active on the master channel from fairly early in the process.
Over time, decisions about vocal level, drum impact, bass balance and compression may all be made in response to what that limiter is doing. When it is removed, the mix can suddenly feel quite different.
The vocal might jump forward, the drums may become more aggressive, or the low end may no longer feel as controlled. In that situation, the rest of the mix has effectively been shaped around the limiter.
That does not necessarily mean the limited version is the best file to master, but it does make it a useful reference for the balance and character you were aiming for.
It Is Part of the Sound
Limiters can also be used creatively.
You may be using one to make the drums feel denser, push the track into a more aggressive sound or create a particular sense of movement.
If bypassing the limiter removes an important part of the track’s personality, do not assume you need to abandon that sound just because the mix is going to mastering.
Export an unlimited version, but also send the limited version so the mastering engineer can hear exactly what you intended.
Removing It Changes the Balance
A useful test is to bypass the limiter and listen to what actually changes.
Ignore the drop in volume for a moment and concentrate on the mix itself:
Does the vocal move noticeably forwards or backwards?
Do the drums become much more prominent?
Does the bass behave differently?
Does the track lose an important sense of density or excitement?
If the only obvious difference is that the mix has become quieter, the limiter was probably being used mainly for loudness.
If the balance, groove or character changes significantly, send both versions.
If removing the limiter reveals more fundamental balance problems, it may also be worth asking whether the song still needs some mix work before mastering. My guide to whether your song needs mixing or mastering explains the difference and the kinds of problems each process can address.
Which Versions Should You Send?
If you are uncertain, sending both versions is usually the best solution.
The unlimited mix gives the mastering engineer the most flexible starting point. The limited version acts as a reference for how loud, dense or aggressive you intended the finished track to feel.
Label the files clearly, for example:
Song Title – Unlimited Mix.wav
Song Title – Limited Reference.wav
It also helps to include a short note explaining what you like about the limited version. You might mention that it controls the drums, makes the chorus feel denser or changes the balance in a way you want to preserve.
In most cases, I would begin with the unlimited mix and use the limited version as a guide. Occasionally, though, the limited version may turn out to be the more appropriate source.
The important thing is to provide both options rather than leaving the mastering engineer to guess what the mix was meant to sound like.
Why Does It Sound Worse Without the Limiter?
This is extremely common.
When you bypass a limiter, the mix will usually become quieter. A quieter version can immediately seem flatter or less exciting, even when the underlying mix has not become worse.
Try lowering the listening level of the limited version so it is closer to the unlimited version. It does not need to be perfect. The goal is simply to make the volume difference less distracting.
Then listen to the balance, punch and character of the mix rather than the loudness alone.
If the unlimited version still feels genuinely different, send both versions and explain what you prefer about the limited one.
What If the Mix Clips?
A limiter may be preventing the mix from exceeding 0 dBFS. When you bypass it, those original peaks can reappear and cause the master output to clip.
Do not leave the limiter on purely to solve this problem.
Instead, reduce the level feeding the master output until the mix no longer clips. Depending on how your session is set up, that may mean lowering the level before the limiter, using a gain plugin earlier in the master chain or turning down the relevant mix buses.
You do not need to aim for an arbitrary peak level such as exactly −6 dB. The important thing is that the file is not clipping and has been exported cleanly.
I cover this in more detail in How Much Headroom Should You Leave for Mastering?
Can a Limited Mix Still Be Mastered?
Yes. Sending a limited mix does not automatically mean the track cannot be mastered or that you need to rebuild the entire mix.
A lightly limited file may still provide plenty of room for a good result. Even a heavily limited mix can sometimes be worked with, depending on how it sounds and what the track needs.
The more heavily the mix has been limited, though, the fewer options remain at the mastering stage. If the drums have already lost their punch or audible distortion has been introduced, those problems cannot always be reversed.
If you still have access to the original session, exporting an unlimited version is normally worthwhile. If you do not, send the best version you have rather than attempting drastic last-minute changes.
What About Other Master Bus Plugins?
Removing the limiter does not automatically mean you should bypass every other plugin on the master bus.
Compression, EQ, saturation and other processing may be an intentional part of your mix. Whether those plugins should remain active is a separate question and depends on what they are doing.
For a broader checklist covering master bus processing, file format, export settings and the other files worth including, read my guide to Preparing Your Mix for Mastering.
A Simple Rule to Follow
If the limiter is only making the mix louder, remove it.
If the limiter is helping to create the sound or balance of the mix, send both a limited and unlimited version.
If you cannot tell which applies, send both versions and explain what you are hearing.
Giving the mastering engineer both options is far better than removing an important part of the sound or sending only a heavily limited file without any context.
Not Sure Which Version to Send?
If you are unsure whether your limiter is simply increasing the loudness or has become an important part of the mix, feel free to send me both versions.
I can have a listen and let you know which one gives us the best starting point for mastering.