where is the VU meter plug in?

[off the wall]

My current favorite VU meter is the Waves VU. The PSP Triple Meter is also excellent. Don’t know how you all mix without a proper VU meter.

[sw rec]

“Don’t know how you all mix without a proper VU meter.“

Do it all the time. The Master track has a meter on it.

[nednednerb]

Learning to mix at school looking at the VU meters on the API 2488, I can kinda relate...

However, give me access to a few good references, a loudness meter, and some time, and those are more vital to making way toward a good mix. The VU meter on its own wouldn't make or break things for me. I rarely pull up a digital version. Sometimes I like visual metering at different timescales but that's basically what VU is helping one to model- it doesn't technically have to be that very analog looking VU meter to see the audio levels across different time windows.

Perhaps the name "VU" is misleading here. Good metering is super important. Spectrum, dB, etc, but I remember "at school" learning that VU meant "voltage unit" but that DAWs weren't literally voltages discharging, so it is all just digital metering in a digital system...

But the real important question is "where is any meter and how should I use it"? Or "what kind of meter do you mean? what do you want to see exactly?"

Honestly I'm curious, but it's a little bit of an historical oddity..... I heard the VU representation is more like "seeing RMS" than peak.

Also, there are time settings for the meter display in Preferences, so maybe that could provide the same functionality albeit different appearance.

[Rich Breen]

Originally Posted by nednednerb

...I remember "at school" learning that VU meant "voltage unit" but that DAWs weren't literally voltages discharging, so it is all just digital metering in a digital system......

No, VU stands for "Volume Unit" and the ballistics were an early attempt at metering the perceived loudness or intensity of program - These days replaced by LUFS metering which does a better job of monitoring loudness. Good metering (and understanding it) is essential, but a good monitor setup with calibrated SPL control will tell you most of what you need to know without ever looking at a meter.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by Rich Breen

No, VU stands for "Volume Unit" and the ballistics were an early attempt at metering the perceived loudness or intensity of program - These days replaced by LUFS metering which does a better job of monitoring loudness. Good metering (and understanding it) is essential, but a good monitor setup with calibrated SPL control will tell you most of what you need to know without ever looking at a meter.

Was going to say the same thing. This not uncommon confusion happens because yes internally it's measuring voltage, but the whole thing is put together to represent perceived volume and VU definitely stands for volume unit. Says so in the relevant standards.

[off the wall]

Originally Posted by Rich Breen

No, VU stands for "Volume Unit" and the ballistics were an early attempt at metering the perceived loudness or intensity of program - These days replaced by LUFS metering which does a better job of monitoring loudness. Good metering (and understanding it) is essential, but a good monitor setup with calibrated SPL control will tell you most of what you need to know without ever looking at a meter.

Correct. I personally like doing most of my initial mix monitoring an analog VU meter (or simulation), then fine tune with the LUFS meter if I’m required to meet a specific LUFS.

Possibly because I “grew up” on VU meters but setting your VU meter reference to 2db hotter than your LUFS target will get you REALLY close in a more “organic” way IMO.