Q: What is the difference between a limiter and a compressor?
A: In practice, the big difference is the ratio used. Limiters use much higher ratios than compressors, often as close to infinity:1 as possible, although many experts classify ratios of 10:1 and higher as being limiting.
With a ratio this high, the limiter basically establishes a “ceiling” above which the signal level cannot pass. A compressor, on the other hand, uses lower ratios to more gently control the dynamics of the signal.
