mp3 ampllifying without clipping?

Normally there is a point where a track cant be amplified anymore using stuff like mp3gain.
In Audacity I've lowered the peaks of the highest waves and then amplifed and repeat. This takes forever.
Is there a program that can amplify an mp3 above the clipping point in the sense that the parts that normally would be clipped would just stop amplifying while the rest of the sound wave continues to amplify?

i'm supposing you're looking for a brickwall limiter

chances are you'd need to convert it to a wav before doing it, unless there's an audio editor out there that has a limiter function that works with mp3s

know any good free brick wall limiters programs?

welp, audacity can use vst plugins if you install http://audacityteam.org/vst/

if u are on windows, i like the free kjaerhus limiter http://www.kjaerhusaudio.com/classic-master-limiter.php

if you are on mac you are SOL unless spending $

does audacity not have a built in limiter?

Been a few years since I've used audacity, but the 'Normalise' function did this IIRC?

nar normalise only brings the highest peak to full scale, doesn't do any comp/lim

xpp I found out how to add a vst plugin to audacity before I even saw you post that

thanks for all the tips! I have a brickwall limiter plugin now

good good

Here is a free VST limiter plugin which is a clone of the Waves L1:

http://www.yohng.com/w1limit.html