Best Metering/Sound Level Software for Mastering (Introduction)

[MASSIVE Master]

I have a set of Dorroughs that I glance at occasionally... There are meters on everything. Too many.

I'd start by properly calibrating the monitoring chain and then just ignoring most of them.

[bkuijt]

RME Digicheck!

[tomdarude]

Metric Halo "SpectraFoo"

+

Grimm Audio "LevelView" (EBU R128 compliant metering)

[Red Mastering]

Originally Posted by MASSIVE Master

I'd start by properly calibrating the monitoring chain and then just ignoring most of them.

ditto!

[polybonk]

Originally Posted by EDF

Right now I'm using T-Racks 3 for my metering. The reasoning...it's simple, has everything in one easy to read screen. It literally holds your hand at times if you don't know what's going on.

How is that done? Via some usb driven prosthetic limb?

I recommend the meters on the Fairman TMC. They are nice to look at.


Ps: I never know what is going on.

[Slyderhodge]

when needed I use the Voxengo Span

[Kayo]

RME Digi check
Dorrough Meters Waves
Nugen VisLM-H , VisLM-C
Audio Analyzer
Spectra


KAyo

[stinkyfingers]

i like Blue Cat's DPMP because it is highly customizable and fun to watch...and i like the color blue and cats...

[Meko]

the most important one to me is TT DYNAMIC RANGE METER (freeware), very handy. For phase and stereo things, I use FLUX STEREO TOOL (freeware). The Ozone 5 advanced metering system is not bad, it looks extremely good
and is scalable, though in terms of looks, nothing can beat FLUX pure analyzer. In case you need some
pretty to show off.

[Cloudsplitter]

+1 for Voxengo Span

[stinkyfingers]

this can be a handy tool at times > Bitter | Stillwell Audio - It's About The Sound
this too > FreeG
and if you find VUs as fun as i do > VUMT
and this is a nice app for the mac users > Audioleak

edit: i know someone mentioned the NuGen stuff but not Visualizer, which is a nice "all in one" package...

[Babaluma]

I have a properly calibrated monitoring chain, and use a Crookwood VU, Sonoris Meter, and Voxengo SPAN when needed. But as stated above, if you calibrate the monitor chain properly, your ears will tell you when something is too loud or too quiet.

[MAzevedo]

Originally Posted by Meko

the most important one to me is TT DYNAMIC RANGE METER (freeware), very handy. For phase and stereo things, I use FLUX STEREO TOOL (freeware).

Those are my two favorite software meters, too. The TT meter also has a basic phase meter. I just mastered a project for vinyl that had some serious phase problems, and having the artist (who also mixed it) download Stereo Tool and explaining how to read the vectorscope really helped him understand the problem and to find what was causing it.

[tom_toscanalyzer]

You may have a look at Toscanalyzer. Its free and runs under Win/Mac/Linux.

It is designed for the mastering process, so you can compare easily several masters.

br
-tom

[Ramonizer]

Is the TC LM6 worth it? TC Electronic | LM6 Radar Loudness Meter

[polybonk]

Originally Posted by Ramonizer

Is the TC LM6 worth it? TC Electronic | LM6 Radar Loudness Meter

The idea of visually tracking peak information in a spiral I find to be a most dubious option when optical illusions like the Thatcher effect (below) are known to extend to our perception of biological motion etc.

Basically IMHO you cant see how the peaks relate to one another at all on a circle.



And then there is the price tag which is interesting considering all the good free options or accurate meters for low prices like $10. Eg toneboosters EBU

[Meko]

Originally Posted by MAzevedo

Those are my two favorite software meters, too. The TT meter also has a basic phase meter. I just mastered a project for vinyl that had some serious phase problems, and having the artist (who also mixed it) download Stereo Tool and explaining how to read the vectorscope really helped him understand the problem and to find what was causing it.

Hey, in another thread ("let's talk about dynamic range") someone mentioned the brainworx bx_meter. I have been using the TT quite a while and got used to it, but after trying the bx_meter, I feel like it really is more sensitive to the actual sound.

go read the post over at the other thread, it is explained much better than I can. But make sure to give the bx_meter a try, it seems to be closer to what is happening.
cheers