An array of valve sections in a hydraulic system are connected to a supply line, a tank return line, and a load sense line. One valve sections includes a control valve with a metering orifice through which fluid flows from the supply line to a valve outlet. A load sense node is coupled by a load sense orifice to the load sense line. A load sense pressure limiter prevents pressure at the load sense node from exceeding a threshold level. A pressure compensator is connected in a fluid path between the valve outlet and one of the hydraulic actuators. The pressure compensator opens and closes the fluid path in response to pressure at the valve outlet and pressure at the load sense node, thereby governing the maximum amount of pressure that the respective valve section can apply to the hydraulic actuator.