headroom

name = "spike-protection"

description = "Minimal processing until a high threshold. Untouched audio, hard guard against sudden blasts."

# no leveling; only catches sudden jarring level jumps (autoplay ads, stingers)

[agc]

enabled = false

# fast high-threshold peak catch: <-6 dBFS passes 1:1, spikes clamped hard (10:1).

# makeup_db=0 — never raise the floor, normal material untouched

[compressor]

enabled = true

detector = "peak"

threshold_db = -6.0

ratio = 10.0

knee_db = 2.0

attack_ms = 1.0

release_ms = 120.0

makeup_db = 0.0

# brickwall safety net just below 0 dBTP. no soft tier — only stop a true over

[limiter]

ceiling_dbtp = -0.5

lookahead_ms = 2.0

release_ms = 80.0

hold_ms = 5.0

oversample = 4

link = "stereo"

[meters]

publish_hz = 20.0

# production/creative tools bypass regardless

[[rules]]

match = { process_binary = ["ardour", "reaper", "qpwgraph", "carla", "bitwig-studio"] }

route = "bypass"

[default_route]

route = "processed"