VU METER

Controls

• ModeVU / PPM / K-14 / K-20 — VU (300 ms ballistics, average reading), PPM (EBU Type IIa peak programme meter), K-14 or K-20 (Katz RMS with the 0 mark at -14 or -20 dBFS).
• Reference−24 to −8 dBFS — The level that reads 0 in VU and PPM: a sine peaking at -24 to -8 dBFS (-18 is the EBU alignment level, -20 SMPTE).
• Peak HoldOff / 3 s / Hold — How the held maximum (the silver mark) behaves: Off, held for 3 s, or held until you click the meters.
• MonitorStereo / Mono / Side — Monitor: Stereo, Mono (both channels summed) or Side (the difference only), after the meters.

Best uses

• Gain staging into analog-modelled plugins at -18 dBFS
• Mixing to a VU like on a console
• Broadcast peak levels with an EBU PPM
• Mastering with the K-14 or K-20 system

Properties

Per channel. VU: the rectified signal through a second-order low pass (damping 0.8: about 1.5 % overshoot, 99 % in 300 ms), sine-calibrated, on the classic -20 to +3 VU dial. PPM: a peak follower charging with a 5 ms time constant (about -4 dB on a 10 ms burst) and falling 24 dB in 2.8 s, -24 to +12 around the reference. K-14 / K-20: RMS over 300 ms, sine-calibrated. OVER lights for 1 s at 0 dBFS. The audio passes through (Monitor folds it after the meters). No latency, no Rack module.

Formats

• JSFXJSFX for REAPER, with REAPER's own sliders
• GFXJSFX GFX for REAPER, with its own interface
• VST3VST3 for any DAW
• CLAPCLAP for any DAW

Factory presets

VU -20 dBFS (SMPTE) · VU -14 dBFS (Hot) · PPM EBU · K-14 Mastering · K-20 Film and Classical · Mono Check

Try it