Nugen vs PPMulatorXL

[tom_lowe]

NuGen VisLM without a doubt

[Vytis]

I use PPMulator XL for loudness metering and am very pleased with it.

[Vidius]

One thing I really like about the Nugen is the ability to create your own color schemes for any part of the meter.
Depending what medium I mix for, (and what I'm mixing) I might for example have a white zone to aim for with the DX, a green zone for heavy music and a red zone up until or very heavy action stuff... and a small blue line at -23, where the program average ends up.. something like that.

I know, I know, mix by ear, but it's a good reassurance you're still in the ballpark when mixing in the late, tired hours...

It's just really well thought out throughout.
Haven't used the PPMulator, so cant compare...

[stinkyfingers]

i tested them all and this is best > TB_EBU

[Matti]

PPMulator has the standalone working with other drivers than asio, so you can use it as an universal metering out of your computer at the same time as your asio stuff
-I use this like this -I have a secondary sound card of no quality sound wise connected to my main system output just for this metering and everything gets measured and no conflicts what so ever

Matti

[Vidius]

Originally Posted by stinkyfingers

i tested them all and this is best > TB_EBU

Wow, can't beat these prices!
Looking really complete too...

[Matti]

I have this also but can it log, never tried as I´m with PPMulator for years as its one of the meters that can do British / BBC peak metering or Nordic or DIN scale etc. , standards as such

Matti

[ErikG]

I like the Ppmulator a lot. But I never did like the new r128 metering in it.
Not that it is technically incorrect, it's just as good as the others, it just didn't feel good to me.

Nugen with the histogram is very nice.

As for simple but accurate metering there's a freebie for Nuendo from Steinberg.

[Matti]

Sequoia has built in one also

Matti

[Lion73]

I have just completed a run of adverts for international delivery and purchased the VisLm for the job It was really useful, the histogram is essential, even though the longest program was 1:30 I was able to speed up my workflow by using the plug in in audio suite, as a final check on my printed files, it was also great when I had to quickly make changes to meet one or two different specs.

I do use PPMulator but only use it for, well... er.... PPMs and never really for EBU stuff as It lacks a histogram.

hope this helps.

[greatgonzo]

Hey Chris,

Nice to find you on here. I really like PPMulator, runs fairly reliably even on large sessions and you can re-size the meters to fill the screen if you wanted too.

Cheers,

Iain

[GregorioM]

Originally Posted by nzl62

New Zealand has just switched over to 1770 and LKfs QC at TV NZ

LKFS is the measurement unit for ATSC A85 rather than LUFS for EBU R128. If the NZ specification is for LKFS you cannot use PPMulator because AFAIK PPMulator only supports R128, not ATSC A85. Nugen supports both specs.

G

[mgoorevich]

Nugen for 100%.
It has now a great meter built in in it ISL 5.1 limiter.
TB EBULoudness is VST only. Isn't it?

[tom_lowe]

Originally Posted by mgoorevich

Nugen for 100%.
It has now a great meter built in in it ISL 5.1 limiter.
TB EBULoudness is VST only. Isn't it?

ISL has a True Peak meter, but not a loudness meter. It's just an ITU.1770-compliant limiter, it doesn't measure loudness to that spec. But it's great none the less.

[rcutz]

Nugen Rocks.
ISL is a great and transparent Brick Wall Limiter.
The VISLM products - loudnesse meters and true peaks are really great.

[nzl62]

Originally Posted by GregorioM

LKFS is the measurement unit for ATSC A85 rather than LUFS for EBU R128. If the NZ specification is for LKFS you cannot use PPMulator because AFAIK PPMulator only supports R128, not ATSC A85. Nugen supports both specs.

G

Hi Gonzo

yes this is what I am becoming aware of. Everyday is a schoolday as they say and I am now understanding that the Nugen seems to be the only solution for Protools that I am aware of.

[tom_lowe]

Originally Posted by nzl62

Hi Gonzo

yes this is what I am becoming aware of. Everyday is a schoolday as they say and I am now understanding that the Nugen seems to be the only solution for Protools that I am aware of.

LKFS and LUFS are one and the same. The EBU tried to get LUFS adopted as they felt the K (for K-weighting) might be confused with the Bob Katz system. LUFS - Loudness Unit in relation to Full Scale, LKFS - Loudness Unit (k-weighted) in relation to Full Scale. Note, EBU R.128 is STILL k-weighted.

[insomaniac]

Originally Posted by nzl62

Hi Gonzo

yes this is what I am becoming aware of. Everyday is a schoolday as they say and I am now understanding that the Nugen seems to be the only solution for Protools that I am aware of.

You also have Waves WLM, Vsonics Vmeters (doesn't have a separate LUFS mode), and TC LM2 (stereo) and LM6 (surround).

[FullFrequency]

Originally Posted by insomaniac

You also have Waves WLM, Vsonics Vmeters (doesn't have a separate LUFS mode), and TC LM2 (stereo) and LM6 (surround).

And Dolby Media Meter too

[nzl62]

Due to familiarity I bought the XL update for PPMulator. It doesn't appear to be accurate with regard to true peak. I had a mix checked by a broadcaster that showed a -9.1 TP. Nugen showed at as -9.1 as did a demo of vsonics meter. The PPMulator shows-10 ( ie the mx level that my non TP compliant limiter is set to)
Anyone had any experience with PPMulator? They claim to be fully ITU/EBU compliant so why the difference? Could there be a setting that I have missed?
Getting buyers remorse!

[ThisIsSka]

Originally Posted by stinkyfingers

i tested them all and this is best > TB_EBU

It's a bargain, but VST only?

[emilano]

I've been testing out the nugen but I don't like it. I like the ballistics of the meters on the Waves WLM and the Dolby DMM. The nugen gives too much information. I don't need to know the reading of every millisecond of action, I want to have it average it out at least somewhat in the short term (though of course it does fine with the long term reading). It gets too confusing and is hard to know what's really going on. The DMM and WLM do this very nicely.

[Mister Fox]

I can't speak for PPMulator XL, since I haven't throughoutly tested the most recent version, but I can definitely vouch(!) for ToneBoosters EBU Loudness / EBU Compact.

A lot of testing and bugfixing went into this one, and is now (at least to my opinion and some over at KVRaudio) one among the most accurate ones out there in both loudness measurement and true peak measurement.


Granted, it's not as highly configurable as Nugen's VIS-LM or Grimm Audio, neither does it drop a histogram sheet yet. but it certainly has it's advantages and features that similar other tools do not sport. Not to mention a great price.

By the way, it's available for both Windows and Macintosh in VST format. Though I can only speak for the usability on Windows.


I'd take another closer look if Nugen is out of your pricerange, and zplane is not your cup of tea.

[matt82aust]

Originally Posted by nzl62

Due to familiarity I bought the XL update for PPMulator. It doesn't appear to be accurate with regard to true peak. I had a mix checked by a broadcaster that showed a -9.1 TP. Nugen showed at as -9.1 as did a demo of vsonics meter. The PPMulator shows-10 ( ie the mx level that my non TP compliant limiter is set to)
Anyone had any experience with PPMulator? They claim to be fully ITU/EBU compliant so why the difference? Could there be a setting that I have missed?
Getting buyers remorse!

I just noticed this as well. Upgraded since I had the old one and like the standalone mode.. but my LUFS readings are sometimes 4LU hotter on PPMulator than other meters...

What gives?

[ptfigg]

TB EBULoudness is VST only. Isn't it?

It's available as a VST as well as an AU ...

-paul.

[stinkyfingers]

the zPlane meter sucks. it's very inconsistent. junk.

[ptfigg]

Grimm's LevelViewS is also nice. It's just shy of $200 bucks US.

But as previously stated - it's hard to justify spending this kind of money for a "basic" meter with TB EBULoudness out there. It's an incredible deal. And it's far from a basic meter.

I think you are going to see loudness meters included in all future DAW updates. Nuendo and Cubase have nice ones. The $400-$500 loudness meter is going to have a tough time staying competitive. Granted many of them are feature rich. We'll just have to see what happens. Waves even discounts their meter from time to time. It was available last month for $199. That was a 50% savings.

-paul.