Audio Limiter vs Compression: Keep Dynamics Without Losing Cues
Dynamic range helps you read distance and urgency. Heavy compression makes everything equally loud — and that often destroys positional cues. Protect your ears, but keep dynamics.
Simple Approach
- Start with stable levels (not max volume).
- Avoid aggressive compression while testing positioning.
- If you need protection, prefer gentle limiting over flattening everything.
- Retest footsteps direction in the same scene/map.
Common Failure
If distant footsteps and near explosions are similar loudness, you lose distance cues. That’s usually compression.
Rule: protect hearing without flattening information. Clarity beats loudness.
Related Guides
Audio Chain for GamingOne clean chain, stable cues.
Audio Positioning That WorksMake footsteps readable and directional.
Audio EQ MinimalismSmall changes, stable direction.
GearHeadsets and setup basics.
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