Meters For Integrated RMS

[seanmccoy]

I recently helped a client, who does audiobooks from home, set up his new Mac Mini. Since ACX specs use average RMS, when I work on audiobooks I use TB Pro Audio's DPMeter 5, which is the only meter I've found with integrated RMS. It works great on my systems, both Mac and PC, but I couldn't get it to respond on this client's new system, and I haven't been able to get any help from the company (it's a free plugin). So this begs the question: does anybody know of another free or inexpensive metering plugin that shows integrated RMS?

[albee1952]

Hmmm, first off, you can go into Preferences and set PT meters to RMS. Beyond that, someone else will likely have good suggestions, but my instincts would steer me to something like Waves WLM Plus Loudness Meter. Its not a traditional RMS meter, but in the long run, it might be better(take a look at the videos on the Waves site).Its pretty cheap right now at $36. Waves also has a VU meter plugin(for $19) that touts average(which AFAIK, means RMS).

[seanmccoy]

I have and use the WLM for broadcast and streaming work, but it doesn't measure integrated RMS. That said, I've found that integrated LKFS/LUFS is usually pretty close to the same RMS measurements, but not close enough to feel confident when submitting to ACX. Why ACX doesn't adhere to any of the current standard measurements is a mystery, but they're really picky about it, and I've had clients' rejected by their QC for missing the number by .1 dB.

If anybody else doing audiobook work has any alternate workflow suggestions, I'm all ears.

[Tweakhead]

if it's that critical, this is quite good:
https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/p...reamliner.html

or this as a freebie perhaps (never used it myself):
https://www.tbproaudio.de/products/mvmeter2

[seanmccoy]

Originally Posted by Tweakhead

if it's that critical, this is quite good:
https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/p...reamliner.html

or this as a freebie perhaps (never used it myself):
https://www.tbproaudio.de/products/mvmeter2

I've never heard of Streamliner, and it looks like a really slick plugin, especially for easily auditioning various streaming options. No RMS averaging, though. TBProAudio also makes DPMeter, which I use and which is perfect for the application. I just can't get it to work on this clients system for some reason.

[noah330]

I've been using WLM or Insight (izotope) lately. Integrated RMS isn't something I'm looking for but Insight has a lot of bells and whistles so it may.

[JFreak]

Metering needs/wants are so diverse it is close to impossible to satisfy everyone.

Myself, I have analog Dorrough meter that works day in day out and always the same way. In digital domain I use K14 for master faders and Venue RMS for everything else. I have no problem with metering.

If you want something special, there is always a plugin that satisfies your needs.

[Tweakhead]

take a look at this freebie then:
https://www.kvraudio.com/product/span-by-voxengo

anyway, some people think what you want is not even accurate.
old DUC thread:
https://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=394195

ask your client what they are using to measure this acclaimed "0.1dB error". then just tell your client that what they want in "Integrated RMS Averaging" does not pass the accuracy standard these days, and that it will be rejected by every major streaming platform, and they'll back down from their ridiculous "0.1dB tolerance standards".
send them a bunch of gobbledygook that they cannot possibly understand which was written by Professor James Audington, who is head of Yorktown University's Department of Atomic Audio Testing.
such as the infamous Turboencabulator:
"The original machine had a base plate of prefabulated amulite, surmounted by a malleable logarithmic casing in such a way that the two main spurving bearings were in a direct line with the panametric fan. The latter consisted simply of six hydrocoptic marzlevanes, so fitted to the ambifacient lunar waneshaft that side fumbling was effectively prevented. The main winding was of the normal lotus-o-deltoid type placed in panendermic semi-boloid slots in the stator, every seventh conductor being connected by a nonreversible tremmie pipe to the differential girdlespring on the "up" end of the grammeters."

I'm sure some of the DUC'ers here can assist you in concocting some utter drivel that will pass muster.
C'mon boys and girls - let's have some "explanations" ;-)

[Kasper]

.1, do you mean OVER by that amount in the PEAK spec?

I have no experience submitting to ACX, but a quick look at their specs say -

"Each file must measure between -23dB and -18dB RMS"
"Each file must have peak values no higher than -3dB"

Also, LUFS pretty much is integrated RMS, if you measure on integrated.

Izotope Loudness Control works great for meeting spec. They have a demo I believe.

kasper

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by Kasper

"Each file must measure between -23dB and -18dB RMS"
"Each file must have peak values no higher than -3dB"

In other words, they have 1dB safety on deliverables and you can do this simply by setting peak limiter to -3dBFS (hard limit) and set master fader metering to K14. It means you need to stay on "green" using K14 metering. Then less one dB safety limit.