Maximal 3 by Venomode limiter plugin interface

Maximal 3: True-Peak Limiter and Loudness Meter by Venomode Free Download

Rated 4.5/5 on Plugin Boutique (132 ratings)

Maximal 3 is a loudness maximiser plugin by Venomode that combines a true-peak brickwall limiter, a variable soft clipper and a broadcast-standard loudness meter. It is built to raise track loudness while keeping sonic quality intact.

VST3VST2AUAAXWindowsmacOS64-bit

AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique

Download Now

Free trial available from the developer

01Overview

Maximal 3 is aimed at producers working on the final stage of a mix or master who want more perceived loudness without harsh distortion. Its limiter uses true-peak lookahead detection, so inter-sample peaks are kept from overshooting and clipping. A variable soft clipper sits alongside it, offering a way to shave peaks before limiting or to add saturation. A dedicated metering section shows LUFS and true-peak values based on ITU-R BS.1770-4.

Best for

Final master loudness
Bus glue and compression
Peak shaving before limiting
Track saturation
EBU R128 mastering

Developer: Venomode
Category: Limiters
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

True-peak, lookahead, brickwall limiting that prevents intersample overshoots
Four limiter modes with attack and release controls
Variable soft clipper with an adjustable curve from hard to soft
LUFS and true-peak metering based on ITU-R BS.1770-4
Adjustable meter target loudness, including EBU R128
Up to 16x oversampling using linear-phase resampling filters

03In depth

True-Peak Limiting and Limiter Modes

The limiter is a true-peak, lookahead, brickwall design. Venomode says that no matter how hard the signal is pushed, intersample peaks should not overshoot.

Four limiter modes, together with attack and release controls, shape the character of the limiting. Settings can range from clean, transparent loudness maximising with transient preservation to a warmer bus-gluing or pumping sound.

Variable Soft Clipping and Loudness Metering

The soft clipper has an adjustable curve from hard to soft. It can chop rampant peaks before the limiter or add saturation to individual tracks or full mixes.

The loudness section displays LUFS and true-peak readings based on ITU-R BS.1770-4. The target loudness of the meters can be set to any level, for example to follow the EBU R128 standard when mastering.

04Specs

Will it run?

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

Developer	Venomode
Type	Plugin
Category	Limiter
Formats	VST3, VST2, AU, AAX
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit
Free trial	Yes

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What is Maximal 3 used for?

Maximal 3 is used to increase the overall loudness of a track or mix. It combines a true-peak limiter, a soft clipper and a loudness meter in one plugin.