Metering options

[D'Animation]

Having some unworkable issues with PPmulator so this plug may not be the best option for monitoring now - what is everyone else using? We do both 5.1 and stereo work, primarily for UK and US markets (plus whoever the distributor sells it on to!)
I guess the options are:
Dolby Media Meter
TC LM5
Waves Dorrough

Any opinions?
Thanks
D

[Frank Kruse]

Pretty cool new concept:

http://www.rtw.de/en/products/audio-...nitor-tm7.html

Touchscreen-based and you can load seperate metering options so it doesn´t have to rely on a fixed hardware button config. Probably not cheap but it´s a once in a lifetime purchase anyway.

(not a plugin but I prefer hardware for metering for the reasons you mentioned. I don´t want to live at the mercy of AVID when it comes to metering)

Frank.

[tom_lowe]

For UK/EU stuff, PPMulator+ is great and very cheap.

http://products.zplane.de/index.php?page=ppmulator

*EDITED*

Sorry, just seen your other post saying you're having problems with this!

[D'Animation]

Originally Posted by Frank Kruse

Pretty cool new concept:

http://www.rtw.de/en/products/audio-...nitor-tm7.html

Touchscreen-based and you can load seperate metering options so it doesn´t have to rely on a fixed hardware button config. Probably not cheap but it´s a once in a lifetime purchase anyway.

(not a plugin but I prefer hardware for metering for the reasons you mentioned. I don´t want to live at the mercy of AVID when it comes to metering)

Frank.

That is pretty cool - I'm also investigating proper hardware meters now but of course they do not allow for the various measurements that something like the Dolby plug can do.

And Frank, I don't think anyone wants to be at the mercy of AVID - what would the world come to!!
Thanks
D

[Eric Seaberg]

We've got three of these http://www.dk-technologies.com/produ...pe=MSD600C-5.1. Two of them with Avid Symphony systems and one with our SSL C200 for mix.

They're available in several varieties with options, including various scales, i.e. NBC, ABC, Dorrough 40A and 40C, etc.

[twarren]

Eric -

How do you adapt you signal chain to address the lack of outputs on the MSD600C-5.1. Just wondering as I am interested in the meter but usually route my audio chain through a meter and then to my monitors to "confidence" monitor what the meter is measuring.

Thanks,

Taylor Warren
Sunrise Pictures

[Frank Kruse]

Since the DK is all digital you will need 3 dedicated AES outs for it.

Are you saying you are normally routing from your meter to the monitors? What happens if you want to listen at lower volumes?

Just wondering because I´ve never seen someone metering his b-chain.

frank.

[minister]

Originally Posted by twarren

Eric -

How do you adapt you signal chain to address the lack of outputs on the MSD600C-5.1. Just wondering as I am interested in the meter but usually route my audio chain through a meter and then to my monitors to "confidence" monitor what the meter is measuring.

Thanks,

Taylor Warren
Sunrise Pictures

Most decent monitor controllers have a "Meter Out".

[twarren]

Minister & Frank:

Thanks for the feedback! I appreciate the time and input. Frank, to answer your question, When doing an analog layback, I normally route from PT outputs to a 4 bus console, mains out to a deck for layback, then back from the deck to the console. The console control room output feeds an analog monitor controller (in my present studio its a Mackie Hui). By selecting which bus to monitor I can effectively choose to listen to PT or off the playback heads of the deck. The console is really only used as a router, mixing is within PT.

When going digital, I route AES out of PT (or the Media Composer) back to the deck, from the deck to the console, and from the console to the monitor controller.

The reason I am looking at the DK meter is that I'm building a new 5.1 room that will be all digital. My habit has been to insert metering after the deck so (obviously when properly calibrated) I can make sure that what is coming off the deck meets delivery spec for whoever I'm delivering too. This assumes that the signal would pass through the meters to the console and on to the monitor controller. Because the meters are pre monitor controller, my monitor volume choice doesn't effect metering.

So in the new room, I'd probably opt for something like a Yamaha DM1000 as a router/console, a digital monitor controller ala the Grace 904b, and something like the DK meter as the main meter.

At any rate, my usual setup depends on the feed from the deck to the console be uninterrupted. Though, if as minister indicates (thanks again), I can get a surround "meter out" on my monitor controller this would be an even better solution. As long as it was pre monitor level, I'd be able to be metering whatever I was listening to.

Hope this wasn't too convoluted (and long) and by all means, if you have alternate suggestion to make the path more "ergonomic", feel free to suggest away.


Thanks,

Taylor Warren
Sunrise Pictures

[twarren]

Whoops... meant Grace m906 surround monitor controller....sorry.

Taylor Warren
Sunrise Pictures