diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc b/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
index 1dd0482313..f5efae5451 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
@@ -4869,6 +4869,23 @@ These settings will only take effect after %1 is restarted.\n\
 		     sigc::mem_fun (*_rc_config, &RCConfiguration::set_auto_analyse_audio)
 		     ));
 
+	add_option (S_("Preferences|Metering"), new OptionEditorHeading (_("Realtime Analyzer"))); 
+
+	ComboOption<uint32_t>* rta = new ComboOption<uint32_t> (
+	  "max-active-rta",
+	  _("Limit concurrent RTA specta"),
+	  sigc::mem_fun (UIConfiguration::instance(), &UIConfiguration::get_max_active_rta),
+	  sigc::mem_fun (UIConfiguration::instance(), &UIConfiguration::set_max_active_rta)
+		);
+	rta->add ( 4, _("4"));
+	rta->add ( 8, _("8"));
+	rta->add (12, _("12"));
+	rta->add (16, _("16 (fast CPUs)"));
+	rta->add (16, _("20 (very fast CPUs)"));
+	rta->add ( 0, _("No Limt"));
+
+	add_option (S_("Preferences|Metering"), rta);
+
 
 	/* PERFORMANCE **************************************************************/
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/rta_manager.cc b/gtk2_ardour/rta_manager.cc
index 09a97cff8a..535c5f5bee 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/rta_manager.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/rta_manager.cc
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ RTAManager::RTAManager ()
 	, _warp (ARDOUR::DSP::PerceptualAnalyzer::Medium)
 	, _clearing (false)
 {
+	UIConfiguration::instance().ParameterChanged.connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &RTAManager::parameter_changed));
 }
 
 RTAManager::~RTAManager ()
@@ -119,6 +120,14 @@ RTAManager::session_going_away ()
 	_session = 0;
 }
 
+void
+RTAManager::parameter_changed (std::string p)
+{
+	if (p == "max-active-rta") {
+		limit_active_rta ();
+	}
+}
+
 void
 RTAManager::set_active (bool en)
 {
@@ -164,6 +173,25 @@ RTAManager::set_rta_warp (DSP::PerceptualAnalyzer::Warp w)
 	SettingsChanged (); /* EMIT SIGNAL */
 }
 
+void
+RTAManager::limit_active_rta ()
+{
+	uint32_t max_rta = UIConfiguration::instance().get_max_active_rta ();
+	if (max_rta > 1 && _rta.size () >= max_rta) {
+#if 0
+		remove (_rta.back ().route ());
+#else
+		for (auto const& r : _rta) {
+			if (r.route()->is_master ()) {
+				continue;
+			}
+			remove (r.route ());
+			break;
+		}
+#endif
+	}
+}
+
 void
 RTAManager::attach (std::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::Route> route)
 {
@@ -172,6 +200,9 @@ RTAManager::attach (std::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::Route> route)
 			return;
 		}
 	}
+
+	limit_active_rta ();
+
 	std::list<RTA>::iterator i;
 	try {
 		/* render master first (as background) because it is the sum of other individual channels */
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/rta_manager.h b/gtk2_ardour/rta_manager.h
index 8f3a275088..e6546b637a 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/rta_manager.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/rta_manager.h
@@ -115,6 +115,8 @@ private:
 	void run_rta ();
 	void session_going_away ();
 	void route_removed (std::weak_ptr<ARDOUR::Route>);
+	void limit_active_rta ();
+	void parameter_changed (std::string);
 
 	std::list<RTA>                         _rta;
 	bool                                   _active;
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ui_config_vars.inc.h b/gtk2_ardour/ui_config_vars.inc.h
index 6420d04251..508928eb25 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ui_config_vars.inc.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ui_config_vars.inc.h
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (ARDOUR::PluginGUIBehavior, plugin_gui_behavior, "plugin-gui-
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, show_inline_display_by_default, "show-inline-display-by-default", true)
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (int32_t, max_plugin_chart, "max-plugin-chart", 10)
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (int32_t, max_plugin_recent, "max-plugin-recent", 10)
+UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (uint32_t, max_active_rta, "max-active-rta", 8)
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, prefer_inline_over_gui, "prefer-inline-over-gui", true)
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (uint32_t, max_inline_controls, "max-inline-controls", 32) /* per processor */
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (uint32_t, action_table_columns, "action-table-columns", 3)