>In recent posts regarding output levels prior to mastering, a number of comments have >referred to the inadequacy of Logic's level meters. Could someone please explain this? What >about them is "weird" and how might they be improved? >Just a curious amateur... And would this free plug help. http://www.sonalksis.com/index.php?section_id™ which I don't fully understand yet. pfokus _,_._,___

On Oct 4, 2006, at 10:18 AM, Paul Stephenson wrote: >> In recent posts regarding output levels prior to mastering, a >> number of > comments have >> referred to the inadequacy of Logic's level meters. Could someone > please explain this? What >> about them is "weird" and how might they be improved? > >> Just a curious amateur... > > And would this free plug help. > > http://www.sonalksis.com/index.php?section_id™ > > which I don't fully understand yet. That looks pretty cool. Just DLed it but have not ran it yet. In as much as it concerns trying to figure out what is going on in a specific track it certainly helps. OTOH it is not "right" that the user should have to resort to putting a plugin in a track just to get a decent meter.

On 04.10.2006, at 03:18, Paul Stephenson wrote: > And would this free plug help. > http://www.sonalksis.com/index.php?section_id™ Haven't used it much but yes, it helps. Something like a good meter and Logic's gain plugin in one, although it lacks the left/right phase inversion and has no mousewheel support. I like the trim knob and the soft bypass. I find such a plugin good for basic setup and for automation. For normal use it should not be necessary, as Dennis said. ___ Peter Ostry

Logic's meters are a little odd. Only in that they seem to only reflect the upper end of the range. I can't quite recall exactly the range they show but I remember a distinct perceptual difference when using them vs Protools channel meters vs external meters (analog VU, Dorroughs, Mytek). When working at -18dBfs or -20dBfs = @0VUdB/+4dBv Logics meters would barely be tickling the bottom 20% or so of it's range. I don't know their exact scaling but a simple test should get an idea. I'm betting they only reflect -25 or -30dBfs. Anything below that is out of their range almost like they are graphical overload indicators rather than full scale meters. When I get the chance I'll test out their range and scale and post it if nobody does it themselves. In addition to an external AES meter I became deeply in love with Elemental Audio's free Inspektor plug in. It behaved much more like you would expect to see from a meter. I assume the sonalksis would work similarly. These little plug in meters are IMO an indispensible tool for working in the box. I would stick them everywhere. On every channel to make up for insufficient DAW meters, on busses, and most importantly I would stick them in front of and inbetween plug ins. This way you could accurately keep track of the signal through the channel. Now that the free Inspektor is no longer available through the rebranded Elemental/Roger Nichols company and not available as a UB Sonalksis fills that void.