# Limiter

Dynamic range limiter

• Library:
• Audio Toolbox / Dynamic Range Control

## Description

The Limiter block performs dynamic range limiting independently across each input channel. Dynamic range limiting suppresses the volume of loud sounds that cross a given threshold. The block uses specified attack and release times to achieve a smooth applied gain curve.

## Ports

### Input

expand all

• Matrix input –– Each column of the input is treated as an independent channel.

• 1-D vector input –– The input is treated as a single channel.

This port is unnamed unless you specify additional input ports.

Data Types: single | double

#### Dependencies

To enable this port, select Specify from input port for the Threshold (dB) parameter.

Data Types: single | double

#### Dependencies

To enable this port, select Specify from input port for the Knee width (dB) parameter.

Data Types: single | double

#### Dependencies

To enable this port, select Specify from input port for the Attack time (s) parameter.

Data Types: single | double

#### Dependencies

To enable this port, select Specify from input port for the Release time (s) parameter.

Data Types: single | double

### Output

expand all

The Limiter block outputs a signal with the same data type as the input signal. The size of the output depends on the size of the input:

• Matrix input –– The block outputs a matrix the same size and data type as the input signal.

• 1-D vector input –– The block outputs an N-by-1 matrix (column vector), where N is the number of elements in the 1-D vector.

This port is unnamed until you select the Output gain (dB) parameter.

Data Types: single | double

#### Dependencies

To enable this port, select the Output gain (dB) parameter.

Data Types: single | double

## Parameters

expand all

If a parameter is listed as tunable, then you can change its value during simulation.

Main Tab

Operation threshold is the level above which gain is applied to the input signal.

To specify Threshold (dB) from an input port, select Specify from input port for the parameter.

Tunable: Yes

For soft knee characteristics, the transition area is defined by the relation

$y=x-\frac{{\left(x-T+\frac{W}{2}\right)}^{2}}{\left(2×W\right)}$

for the range $\left(2×|x-T|\right)\le W$, where

• y is the output level in dB.

• x is the input level in dB.

• T is the threshold in dB.

• W is the knee width in dB.

To specify Knee width (dB) from an input port, select Specify from input port for the parameter.

Tunable: Yes

The plot is updated automatically when parameters of the Limiter block change.

Tunable: Yes

Attack time is the time the limiter gain takes to rise from 10% to 90% of its final value when the input goes above the threshold. The Attack time (s) parameter smooths the applied gain curve.

To specify Attack time (s) from an input port, select Specify from input port for the parameter.

Tunable: Yes

Release time is the time the limiter gain takes to drop from 90% to 10% of its final value when the input goes below the threshold. The Release time (s) parameter smooths the applied gain curve.

To specify Release time (s) from an input port, select Specify from input port for the parameter.

Tunable: Yes

• Property –– Make-up gain is set to the value specified by the Make-up gain (dB) parameter.

• Auto –– Make-up gain is applied at the output of the Limiter block such that a steady-state 0 dB input has a 0 dB output.

Tunable: No

Make-up gain compensates for gain lost during limiting. It is applied at the output of the Limiter block.

Tunable: Yes

#### Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set the Make-up gain mode parameter to Property.

When you select this parameter, the block inherits its sample rate from the input signal. When you clear this parameter, specify the sample rate in the Input sample rate (Hz) parameter.

Tunable: No

Tunable: Yes

#### Dependencies

To enable this parameter, clear the Inherit sample rate from input parameter.

When you select this parameter, an additional output port, G, is added to the block. The G port outputs the gain applied on each input channel in dB.

Tunable: No

When you select this parameter, an additional input port SC is added to the block. The SC port enables dynamic range limiting of the input signal x using a separate sidechain signal.

The datatype and (frame) length input to the SC port must be the same as the input to the x port.

The number of channels of the sidechain input must be equal to the number of channels of x or be equal to one.

• Sidechain channel count is equal to one –– The computed gain, G, based on this channel is applied to all channels of x.

• Sidechain channel count is equal to channel count of x –– The computed gain, G, for each sidechain channel is applied to the corresponding channel of x.

Tunable: No

• Interpreted execution –– Simulate model using the MATLAB® interpreter. This option shortens startup time and has a simulation speed comparable to Code generation. In this mode, you can debug the source code of the block.

• Code generation –– Simulate model using generated C code. The first time you run a simulation, Simulink® generates C code for the block. The C code is reused for subsequent simulations, as long as the model does not change. This option requires additional startup time, but the speed of the subsequent simulations is comparable to Interpreted execution.

Tunable: No

## Block Characteristics

 Data Types double | single Direct Feedthrough no Multidimensional Signals no Variable-Size Signals yes Zero-Crossing Detection no

## Algorithms

The Limiter block processes a signal frame by frame and element by element.

1. The N-point signal, x[n], is converted to decibels:

${x}_{\text{dB}}\left[n\right]=20×{\mathrm{log}}_{10}|x\left[n\right]|$

2. xdB[n] passes through the gain computer. The gain computer uses the static characteristic properties of the dynamic range limiter to brickwall gain that is above the threshold.

If you specified a soft knee, the gain computer has the following static characteristic:

${x}_{\text{sc}}\left({x}_{\text{dB}}\right)=\left\{\begin{array}{cc}{x}_{\text{dB}}& {x}_{\text{dB}}<\left(T-\frac{W}{2}\right)\\ {x}_{\text{dB}}-\frac{{\left({x}_{\text{dB}}-T+\frac{W}{2}\right)}^{2}}{2W}& \begin{array}{c}\\ \\ \end{array}\left(T-\frac{W}{2}\right)\le {x}_{\text{dB}}\le \left(T+\frac{W}{2}\right)\\ T& {x}_{\text{dB}}>\left(T+\frac{W}{2}\right)\end{array}\text{ },$

where T is the threshold and W is the knee width.

If you specified a hard knee, the gain computer has the following static characteristic:

${x}_{\text{sc}}\left({x}_{\text{dB}}\right)=\left\{\begin{array}{cc}{x}_{\text{dB}}& {x}_{\text{dB}}

3. The computed gain, gc[n], is calculated as

${g}_{\text{c}}\left[n\right]={x}_{\text{sc}}\left[n\right]-{x}_{\text{dB}}\left[n\right].$

4. gc[n] is smoothed using specified attack and release time parameters:

${g}_{\text{s}}\left[n\right]=\left\{\begin{array}{cc}{\alpha }_{\text{A}}{g}_{\text{s}}\left[n-1\right]+\left(1-{\alpha }_{\text{A}}\right){g}_{c}\left[n\right],& {g}_{\text{c}}\left[n\right]\le {g}_{\text{s}}\left[n-1\right]\\ {\alpha }_{\text{R}}{g}_{\text{s}}\left[n-1\right]+\left(1-{\alpha }_{\text{R}}\right){g}_{c}\left[n\right],& {g}_{\text{c}}\left[n\right]>{g}_{\text{s}}\left[n-1\right]\end{array}$

The attack time coefficient, αA , is calculated as

${\alpha }_{\text{A}}=\mathrm{exp}\left(\frac{-\mathrm{log}\left(9\right)}{Fs×{T}_{\text{A}}}\right)\text{\hspace{0.17em}}.$

The release time coefficient, αR , is calculated as

${\alpha }_{\text{R}}=\mathrm{exp}\left(\frac{-\mathrm{log}\left(9\right)}{Fs×{T}_{\text{R}}}\right)\text{\hspace{0.17em}}.$

TA is the attack time period, specified by the Attack time (s) parameter. TR is the release time period, specified by the Release time (s) parameter. Fs is the input sampling rate, specified by the Inherit sample rate from input or Input sample rate (Hz) parameter.

5. If the Make-up gain (dB) parameter is set to Auto, the make-up gain is calculated as the negative of the computed gain for a 0 dB input:

$M=-{x}_{\text{sc}}\left({x}_{\text{dB}}=0\right)$

Given a steady-state input of 0 dB, this configuration achieves a steady-state output of 0 dB. The make-up gain is determined by the Threshold (dB) and Knee width (dB) parameters. It does not depend on the input signal.

6. The make-up gain, M, is added to the smoothed gain, gs[n]:

${g}_{\text{m}}\left[n\right]={g}_{\text{s}}\left[n\right]+M$

7. The calculated gain in dB, gm[n], is translated to a linear domain:

${g}_{\text{lin}}\left[n\right]={10}^{\left(\frac{{g}_{\text{m}}\left[n\right]}{20}\right)}$

8. The output of the dynamic range limiter is given as

$y\left[n\right]=x\left[n\right]×{g}_{\text{lin}}\left[n\right].$

## References

[1] Giannoulis, Dimitrios, Michael Massberg, and Joshua D. Reiss. "Digital Dynamic Range Compressor Design –– A Tutorial And Analysis." Journal of Audio Engineering Society. Vol. 60, Issue 6, 2012, pp. 399–408.

## Version History

Introduced in R2016a