Software
Pinguin Audio Meter
The Pro version is the best choice for engineers who want to work comfortably without getting fatigue. It is a tool box including 17 different accurate measuring tools.
Supports ASIO, MME on PC and CoreAudio on MAC. PG-AMMWire plugin for VST, VST3, AAX and AU.
PG-AMM-Lite
This is a Lite version of the well known
Pinguin Audio Multi Meter PG-AMM
Based on the same code basis it provides high quality audio metering for an affordable price.
Features:
Pinguin Audio Multi Meter PG-AMM
Based on the same code basis it provides high quality audio metering for an affordable price.
Features:
● Turns every MAC or PC equipped with a reasonable sound card into a professional, eye friendly, standalone audio metering device.
● Supports MME, ASIO, WASAPI on PC and CoreAudio on MAC
● 5 different tools , user defined workspaces.
● Up to 6 instruments in any combination can be used in one workspace.
● Made for: Music Mastering (CD, DVD-Video, SACD, Blue Ray).
● Standards: VU, QPPM, SPPM.
● PPM, LDN Meter, FFT, Goniometer and Correlation.
● PPM with Katz scales.
● PGAMMWire plugin. The wire plugin provides a way to send up to 32 channels signals from a host DAW to PG-AMM-Lite without using your sound card inputs. It is available as VST, RTAS and AU.
● All instruments a scaleable and can be maximized.
You can download a 30 days trial version to check out if it fits your needs. If you decide to purchase, please write down the hardware ID which can be found in the demos about box, since it needs to be entered in the purchase process.
Don’t hesitate to check out this useful software.
Audio File Analyzer
The Audio File Analyzer is a tool what will help to check your final mix in home recording.
It shows some relevant information about the state of your audio file.
Features:
The 3 plot windows are used to display the according values for the whole file.
1. Peak and RMS depending on 'Audio block size' setting.
2. Loudness and averaged loudness depending on the 'Loudness RMS window size'.
3. The correlations and stereo weight. The stereo weight shows the derivation of the audio signal from the center of your stereo base.
The values in the upper list are mostly self explaining, the peak and RMS are the maximum values found in the file, they are also marked by a vertical line in the first plot window. These values are only the first ones found with that level, which means that there can be more peaks with the same value in the rest of the file.
Stereo weight and correlation are the average values throughout the whole file length.
The first plot window gives you an impression about the dynamics of your mix. More room between peak and RMS curve means more dynamic. This 'room' is the so called Crest factor. It tells you something about your compressor settings. For a good mix they shouldn't be too close to each other. This measurement is influenced by the 'Audio block size' settings. Smaller blocks will result in more data in the plot, peak values are not affected, while RMS values will depend on it, since they are the average of the energy in one block. Recommended setting here is 400 ms.
The second plot shows the RMS sum of all channels weighted with an ITU loudness filter. It gives you more detailed information about the loudness deviation of your mix. Recommended setting is 3000 ms RMS, 30 s averaging size.
The third plot gives you very interesting informations about the stereo weight in the mix. The correlation curve is an indicator how spacial your music will sound. A value of 1.0 means mono, while a value of 0.0 means a phase derivation of 90° between the two channels. If the value is below 0.0 your signal is out of phase, which can give some nice psycho acoustic effects, since those signals will occur outside the stereo base, but this shouldn't happen too often. A value of -1.0 means 180° out of phase and should be avoided.
The stereo weight curve shows the derivation from the virtual center of your speakers and should be around zero most of the time. The 'Total correlation' and 'Stereo weight' text fields in the data list give you an impression about the whole mix. The stereo weight should be very close to zero to avoid that the sound is too much hanging to one side, while the total correlation should be somewhere around 0.5.
Control Panel:
The 'Sync views' buttons allow you to sync a zoomed part of the file in all other plot windows. The colored blocks are symbolizing the three curves. The ones painted in red will then be zoomed to the same area as the green. Use the left mouse button to select a part and zoom in, the middle mouse button will bring you back to 100% zoom percentage while the right mouse button moves the curve position when zoomed in. You can also zoom in and out using the mouse wheel.
The current results can be saved and reloaded to be viewed without needing to scan the audio file again.
You can play the current file or a selected part using the buttons at the top.
The best way to get familiar with AFA is to load some audio files, listen to them and see how they will be displayed in the plot windows.
It shows some relevant information about the state of your audio file.
Features:
● Fast impression of dynamic and stereo width of your mix.
● Shows Peak, RMS, Loudness, correlation and stereo weight values over the whole file length.
● Save and reload results for later use without having to parse the audio file again.
● Print out results.
● Play selected parts of your file to control critical sections.
The 3 plot windows are used to display the according values for the whole file.
1. Peak and RMS depending on 'Audio block size' setting.
2. Loudness and averaged loudness depending on the 'Loudness RMS window size'.
3. The correlations and stereo weight. The stereo weight shows the derivation of the audio signal from the center of your stereo base.
The values in the upper list are mostly self explaining, the peak and RMS are the maximum values found in the file, they are also marked by a vertical line in the first plot window. These values are only the first ones found with that level, which means that there can be more peaks with the same value in the rest of the file.
Stereo weight and correlation are the average values throughout the whole file length.
The first plot window gives you an impression about the dynamics of your mix. More room between peak and RMS curve means more dynamic. This 'room' is the so called Crest factor. It tells you something about your compressor settings. For a good mix they shouldn't be too close to each other. This measurement is influenced by the 'Audio block size' settings. Smaller blocks will result in more data in the plot, peak values are not affected, while RMS values will depend on it, since they are the average of the energy in one block. Recommended setting here is 400 ms.
The second plot shows the RMS sum of all channels weighted with an ITU loudness filter. It gives you more detailed information about the loudness deviation of your mix. Recommended setting is 3000 ms RMS, 30 s averaging size.
The third plot gives you very interesting informations about the stereo weight in the mix. The correlation curve is an indicator how spacial your music will sound. A value of 1.0 means mono, while a value of 0.0 means a phase derivation of 90° between the two channels. If the value is below 0.0 your signal is out of phase, which can give some nice psycho acoustic effects, since those signals will occur outside the stereo base, but this shouldn't happen too often. A value of -1.0 means 180° out of phase and should be avoided.
The stereo weight curve shows the derivation from the virtual center of your speakers and should be around zero most of the time. The 'Total correlation' and 'Stereo weight' text fields in the data list give you an impression about the whole mix. The stereo weight should be very close to zero to avoid that the sound is too much hanging to one side, while the total correlation should be somewhere around 0.5.
Control Panel:
The 'Sync views' buttons allow you to sync a zoomed part of the file in all other plot windows. The colored blocks are symbolizing the three curves. The ones painted in red will then be zoomed to the same area as the green. Use the left mouse button to select a part and zoom in, the middle mouse button will bring you back to 100% zoom percentage while the right mouse button moves the curve position when zoomed in. You can also zoom in and out using the mouse wheel.
The current results can be saved and reloaded to be viewed without needing to scan the audio file again.
You can play the current file or a selected part using the buttons at the top.
The best way to get familiar with AFA is to load some audio files, listen to them and see how they will be displayed in the plot windows.