L4 Ultramaximizer by Waves limiter plugin interface

L4 Ultramaximizer: Adaptive Limiter Plugin by Waves

Rated 4.8/5 on Plugin Boutique (52 ratings)

L4 Ultramaximizer is an adaptive limiter plugin from Waves for Windows and macOS. It offers five limiting algorithms, True Peak limiting and upward compression for loudness and dynamics control.

WindowsmacOS64-bit

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01Overview

Waves positions L4 Ultramaximizer as a limiter built for current music rather than the loudness race of earlier decades. The developer says it aims to add low-end weight, transient punch and a sense of life while still reaching competitive levels for streaming. The plugin combines five limiting algorithms with adaptive clipping and release controls, upward compression and True Peak limiting. It also includes LUFS metering and oversampling, so you can check loudness and control peaks in the same place.

Best for

Mastering loud mixes
Streaming loudness targets
Bus limiting
Adding punch to drums
Dynamics control on masters

Developer: Waves
Category: Limiters
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Five limiting algorithms: Modern, Aggressive, Smooth, Safe and L2
Adaptive clipping and release controls for responsive limiting
Upward compression that lifts quieter material
True Peak limiting to manage inter-sample peaks
LUFS metering for loudness monitoring
Gain-match button for level-fair comparisons
Oversampling option to reduce limiting distortion
Graph and classic GUI views
Stereo link for coupled channel gain reduction
Ultra-low latency according to the developer

03In depth

Limiting Algorithms and Dynamics Control

L4 includes five limiting algorithms named Modern, Aggressive, Smooth, Safe and L2. Each one gives a different character, so you can choose the approach that suits the material, from a more forceful limit to a gentler one.

Adaptive clipping and release controls adjust how the limiter responds to the signal. Upward compression lifts quieter material rather than only capping the peaks, which can help a mix keep its detail while it gets louder.

True Peak limiting helps manage inter-sample peaks, and oversampling is available to reduce distortion from the limiting process.

Metering, Views and Workflow

The plugin includes LUFS metering, so you can track loudness against common delivery targets while you work. A gain-match button helps you compare processed and unprocessed levels so that changes in volume do not color your judgment.

The interface offers two views, a graph view and a classic mode, so you can work visually or with a more traditional layout. Stereo link keeps the two channels' gain reduction tied together, and the developer describes the latency as ultra-low.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

Developer	Waves
Type	Plugin
Category	Limiter
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What is L4 Ultramaximizer?

L4 Ultramaximizer is an adaptive limiter plugin from Waves. It uses five limiting algorithms and includes upward compression, True Peak limiting and LUFS metering.

Which operating systems does L4 Ultramaximizer support?

L4 Ultramaximizer runs on Windows and macOS. It is a 64-bit plugin. On Windows it requires Windows 10 64-bit or Windows 11, and on Mac it requires macOS Ventura 13 or later, including Sonoma 14, Sequoia 15 and Tahoe 26.

What do I need to run L4 Ultramaximizer?

The listed requirements are 16 GB of RAM, 30 GB of free disk space on the system drive and a recommended screen resolution of 1920x1080. Windows needs an X64 compatible Intel or AMD CPU, and Mac needs an Intel or Silicon processor. USB displays are not supported as the primary display.

What does upward compression do in this limiter?

Upward compression raises the level of quieter material instead of only reducing peaks. Waves includes it alongside the limiting stage so that the limiter can add density without relying on loudness alone.