Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[genericperson]

Hello everyone,

I need to take my metering to the next level.  Right now, I just look at the db peak levels on the master fader in my DAW and look and listen to the overall levels.

But I want to get into peak-to-average analysis, and maybe some of  that "foo" stuff.  Also maybe some spectral graphs that actually mean something rather than being a gratuituous graphics effect.

Could someone recommend a plugin to put at the very end of the master in-line effects chain to accomplish this?

Eventually I'd like to get a hardware "bit-scope" too, but that's later.

[TomW]

Hi!

Have you come across Pinguin? If your running PC it might be worth a look.....I'm curious myself if others use it/like it...not tried it yet.

http://www.masterpinguin.de/index.html?neu/files/content/sof tware.html

Or there is the free Inspector from Elemental Audio but it lacks the peak/average comparison you were looking for I think...still a useful tool for free.

http://www.elementalaudio.com/products/inspector/index.html

However I don't think theres much besides Pinguin or The 'Foo'.
Maybe Waves PAZ - but I don't think its that good.....from my limited experience.

Hope it helps

Cheers Tom

[Fifthcircle]

Another vote here for Pinguin...  Looks pretty cool.  

Others to check out- an RME card with DigiCheck
The Waves PAZ plugin

If you like hardware, Ward-Beck has an inexpensive meter with phase on it...

--Ben

[Level]

I like analog meters , plugged into the chain...at any place you want to insert them for accuracy.

At the -10dbu standard, you can go to ebay, buy a nice cassette deck (like a Nakamichi, NAS or Harmon Kardon or Yamaha) and tap it in. You will need to enable the record/Pause feature to read them unless it is 3head and with a monitor circuit.

I landed a damn nice NAD for 50 bucks that is dead accurate to the 1100.00 durrough meter.

Or just save some dough and get the "dough"-"row"
+4 or -10. and calibrateable.

0.775V at 600ohms=Zero or 0.775V at 10kohm=zero.

Don't click that

Choose your poison.

[bobkatz]

Yup, Pinguin, Foo. And also the RME digicheck software, if you have RME cards. The RME digicheck is VERY nicely designed and has a very nice, accurate display.

Unfortunately, I have to agree that the Waves PAZ tells me next to nothing. It's averaging response is very weird.

BK

[invisibl]

Hi Bob Katz ( and all)

Please can you give me a little more info on your feelings that waves PAZ is too weird ( BK's words)

I use it as I have had access to no other products cept for spectrafoo and it seems to make sense.
Maybe its not the most accurate thing going but as a visual benchmark it seems close enough.

A wee note here..I have no formal training in the black art of audio.. Sort of a "school of loud knocks " approach have I...

Thanks

i

[genericperson]

I went to the Pinguin site.

Looks real nice.  But about $700 for the pro version?

Ouch!

Seems like a lot of money for a metering insert plugin.

[bobkatz]

genericperson wrote on Wed, 03 November 2004 16:23

I went to the Pinguin site. Looks real nice.  But about $700 for the pro version? Ouch! Seems like a lot of money for a metering insert plugin.

It is expensive in the overall scheme of things (and I paid good money for it, too, but I don't use it since I got the RME digicheck). Because I was partly involved in the Pinguin's development, I only paid $500 for the Pro version, but I think you can understand the exception. He couldn't even offer it to me for free!

Remember that the Pinguin is a niche product made by a very small firm for a very small market in a very small industry. We in the audio field have been spoiled by mass market computers and USB and Firewire adapters that cost very little, but forget the price of a product equals the man-hours of development divided by the number of pieces they can sell plus a modicum of reinvenstment profit. Please take that into account when pricing a premium product.

[genericperson]

I know that equation.  Smaller market means more margin needed per customer.  It still seems high!  I don't think it's set right on the price-demand curve for profit maximization.  But I could be wrong.  It "feels" like it should be $350 max to me, even taking the small market into consideration.

When I look at all the robust and multi-faceted audio software that is out there, $700 seems like a huge stretch for a metering plugin.

Also, I *can't believe* they didn't give you a copy for free.  They are using your K-system specs.

I found this site:
http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/win95/SPECTRUM_ANALYZERS/

and if that's not enough:
http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/win95/PLUG-INS/

The first URL has the Pinguin listed in there,  along with a bunch of stuff from other developers.  Plugins seem to be this unending world of development (I sometimes get the feeling developers write half of this stuff for fun while eating pizza).  There must be somebody who has come up with something like the Pinguin, but has a more reasonable price in mind.

I'm kind of answering my own question here.  But I just went to 8thstreetmusic.com and they have the Spectrafoo "basic" version for $299.  That one looks good.  They also have an ultra version for about $529.  I don't understand half the stuff they are talking about in the extra features of the ultra version.  The basic one looks good, but it seems it's only Mac TDM/MAS.  

[TomW]

I wonder if there's any chance RME will release Digicheck as a standalone app?

It looks well spec'd now - it was good when I had an RME card but they've added a lot since then.

I'll email them.......

Cheers Tom

[bobkatz]

genericperson wrote on Thu, 04 November 2004 00:01

I know that equation.  Smaller market means more margin needed per customer.  It still seems high!  I don't think it's set right on the price-demand curve for profit maximization.  But I could be wrong.  It "feels" like it should be $350 max to me, even taking the small market into consideration. When I look at all the robust and multi-faceted audio software that is out there, $700 seems like a huge stretch for a metering plugin. Also, I *can't believe* they didn't give you a copy for free.  They are using your K-system specs.

Well, when he asked for money, I didn't question it. He's a small manufacturer. It would have been different if he were funded by General Motors  

Quote:

get the feeling developers write half of this stuff for fun while eating pizza).  There must be somebody who has come up with something like the Pinguin, but has a more reasonable price in mind.

Why not call him and make an offer?  If all you need is the meter, say, maybe he'll give you the meter without the spectragram or phase scope....

Quote:

I'm kind of answering my own question here.  But I just went to 8thstreetmusic.com and they have the Spectrafoo "basic" version for $299.  That one looks good.  They also have an ultra version for about $529.  I don't understand half the stuff they are talking about in the extra features of the ultra version.  The basic one looks good, but it seems it's only Mac TDM/MAS.

So you have both Mac and PC? Spectrafoo Basic?  I don't know what's in it, but Foo is a very powerful "visualization" program.