When used with headphones – especially personal monitors, audio limiters (also called clippers) can help maintain safe listening levels. Without a limiter, large transients in audio signals could generate dangerous SPLs in headphones, although the average volume might be set at an acceptable level.
Because a limiter is actually a specialized form of audio compressor, the circuitry of audio limiters can vary tremendously in complexity from a pair of diodes to multi-stage voltage controlled amplifiers with split frequency bands. Diode-based limiters are instanteous, simpler in design and have a more accurate loudness response, but suffer from distortion in the clipping region. VCA-type limiters have low distortion, but can exhibit breathing or pumping effects from poor gain control. This article takes especial note of design principles for diode-based limiters and the wide range of clipping characteristics. For more information about limiters and compressors, see Signal Processing Fundamentals.
Advertisement1
A diode has infinite resistance until the voltage across it is high enough to forward bias it (typically 0.7V for a silicon diode) at which point, current flows. The diode’s voltage drop remains fairly constant throughout the operating range, and it is this property that is exploited in diode-based limiter circuits. Since audio signals are AC, two diodes together can symmetrically clip both the positive and negative halves of the waveform.
Visit Here for more.
