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An introduction to George Yohng W1 Limiter, based on information from the maker and distributors: what it does, how to use it and who it may suit. It is not scored.
W1 Limiter is a clone of Waves L1, with identical output, as well as an approximation of Waves L2.
— George Yohng official site
What is W1 Limiter?
W1 Limiter is a limiter distributed by its developer George Yohng, known for 4Front, on his own site. The official page says it is a clone of Waves L1 with identical output and an approximation of Waves L2. It is offered for free.
The author states that it was made without reverse engineering Waves products, by adjusting his own 4Front YLimiter: simplifying the release curve, increasing release time three times and altering the softening-circuit filter.
The L1 release uses an actual release three times longer than the standard RT60 metric, and W1 follows this for compatibility. The page gives an example: 50 ms set in the limiter yields a 150 ms standard RT60 release.
The current version also adds adaptive release, but the L2 behaviour is an approximation and not digitally identical like the L1 part. Version 3.0 is available for Windows and macOS, including Apple Silicon.
Clone of Waves L1
The author says output is identical to L1, which may suit those wanting to reproduce familiar L1-style behaviour.
Release time convention
Following L1, actual release is three times the setting; 50 ms yields a 150 ms RT60 release.
Adaptive release
An adaptive release approximates L2's ARC. ARC uses fixed thresholds of 250 and 500 ms, while W1 still lets you change release time in adaptive mode.
Default release
The default release is chosen to give smooth limiting for typical use, and the author recommends keeping it if you are not experienced with limiters.
No IDR dithering
IDR dithering is not emulated; the author notes most DAWs now have dithered export options.
Plug-in formats
AudioUnit (macOS), VST2 and VST3 (Windows, macOS) and AAX (Windows, macOS) are included.
Lightweight and ARM support
Because the algorithm is lightweight, the x64 build should work on Windows on ARM; native ARM64 support on Windows is experimental.
Specifications
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Limiter (Waves L1 clone / L2 approximation) |
| Version | 3.0 (Windows, macOS) |
| Formats | AudioUnit (macOS), VST2/VST3, AAX (Windows, macOS) |
| Apple Silicon | Supported |
| Windows build | Labelled beta on the official page |
| File size | Windows 12.1 MB / Mac 21.3 MB |
| Price | Free (donations optional) |
What is included and system requirements
- Windows build (w1limiter-win.zip) and macOS build (w1limiter-osx.zip)
- Old version (w1limiter_old.zip)
- Download links for the 2013 version
How to use it
- Download the zip for your OS from the official page.
- Unzip and place the plug-in in the folder for your format (VST3, AU, AAX, etc.).
- Start your DAW and rescan plug-ins.
- Insert W1 Limiter at the end of the chain, such as the master bus.
- Check behaviour first with the default release time.
- Try adaptive release if needed.
- Projects saved with the previous version should load, but the page says this is not thoroughly tested, so keep a backup.
- Report bugs through the contact details on the official page.
End of the master bus
As a free limiter it could be tried to even out loudness.
Environments used to L1
It might serve those wanting L1-like behaviour elsewhere.
Learning how limiters behave
Comparing release time and adaptive release could be instructive.
Budget home studios
It may be considered when you want a limiter at no extra cost.
Who it may suit
- People looking for a free limiter
- Those interested in L1-style behaviour
- Users who want to learn limiter basics by trying one
- Anyone wanting a light limiter for Windows or macOS including Apple Silicon
Good to know before you buy
- The Windows build is labelled beta.
- Projects from the previous version should load, though the author says it is not thoroughly tested.
- The page asks for bug reports if the macOS version does not perform well.
- IDR dithering is not emulated.
- ARM64EC is not supported; on Windows on ARM the x64 build is expected to be used.
How it differs from similar products
We do not pick a winner; the official figures are placed side by side.
FLUX:: Pure Limiter
W1 Limiter is a free clone aimed at identical output to Waves L1. Pure Limiter is paid ($79), with up to 16 channels, Manual/Automatic/Advanced modes and 0/20 ms lookahead.
Price
Please check the official page for the price.
See W1 Limiter on the product page
Sources: yohng.com (checked 2026-10-27)
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