80% off MLimiterX at VSTBuzz

[jude77]

I just checked and it's only €19 or $20.71.  And yesterday I said to myself, "No more plugins".  But it's "only" $20.71.  I've GOT to stop visiting this page.

[GTsongwriter]

On 6/28/2023 at 5:20 PM, Starship Krupa said:

Larry already posted this as part of a larger list of VSTBuzz deals, but I think it warrants its own topic.

https://vstbuzz.com/deals/80-off-mlimiterx-by-meldaproduction/

This is one of those cases where getting the plug-in at a deep discount can pay off when the bundle sales come around. Melda licenses purchased from retailers are credited at 50% of list when applied to purchases of bundles that include that plug-in.

MLimiterX is part of the MEssentialsFX, MMixingFX, and MMasteringFX bundles, so if you're interested in any of those, a license for it's good for $54 off. Couple that with one of their periodic 50% off bundles/everything sales, and you can get a nice collection of processors for little money.

Not incidentally, out of all of the limiters in my collection. MLimiterX is my go-to mastering limiter. It's a worthy purchase whether you intend to leverage to a bundle or not.

Caveat: if you've never bought anything from MeldaProduction before, this will qualify as a first purchase, which means that you'll no longer be able to use someone else's referral code to get a 20% new buyer discount.

Is it better than Sonible Smart:limit?

[Starship Krupa]

2 hours ago, El Diablo said:

Is it better than Sonible Smart:limit?

I've never used smart:limit. Couldn't say.

"Better" is such a subjective term, especially when it comes to bread and butter mixing/mastering FX like dynamics processors and EQ's.

Like a magazine reviewer's multiple point categories system: Ease of Setup, GUI, Metering, Extra Features, Configurability, Character etc.

From the looks of it, smart:limit has some auto-setup built in. Probably wins the Ease of Setup category, but then I tend not to care as much for "AI-powered"* FX as some people. Part of the fun of this hobby for me is learning how to use the tools. Not everybody is like that. Plenty of people just want their music to sound good by whatever means. I can appreciate that, and have my share of "it just works" tools like Trackspacer, but I'm also interested in what's going on "under the hood."

The best situation for the automatic stuff is when it allows you to take control of all parameters if you like. That's how I tend to use Ozone (when I use Ozone).

Ultimately, the answer is that the "best" effect is the one that lets you get the sound you want in a way that feels best to you. With pro-level tools like smart:limit and MLimiterX, it's really about what you yourself are looking for. If you want to decide, the best way is to try them. smart:limit has a 30 day trial and MLimiterX a 15-day trial.

And speaking of what works best, one of my favorite limiters is Sonic Anomaly's Unlimited, which is freeware.

My path into high-end FX like MeldaProduction, iZotope, brainworx, etc. was to start working with what I could get for free or under $10, then once I learned what the tools were for and got an idea of how they worked, I opened my wallet a bit more. For years it was freeware/freebies, Soundspot, WA Production, and Ozone Elements. No slam on any of these, I still use plug-ins from Soundspot, WA Production, and of course some freeware ones as well. WA Production are great for weird sound design-y toys and simple control FX that get results fast (good looking UI's, too). Soundspot are a mixed bag, but there are some gems as well (Voxbox, Cyclone).

*(I am starting to really dislike the term "AI-powered" being used when what it really means is "automatic." I have a transmission in my car that senses speed and RPM and automatically changes gear to adapt. Is my car's automatic transmission "AI-powered" because it monitors multiple parameters and adapts its settings??)

[Brian Walton]

5 hours ago, El Diablo said:

Is it better than Sonible Smart:limit?

Haven't used smart limit but the other sonible plugins I do have are quite CPU hungry.  

Melda does have fully functional demos.