Audio Level Meters

Level Meters 

- A visual representation of the electrical strength of an audio signal

- For measurement of External Level Variation 

1. VU Meter

- Volume Unit

- 0 vu = +4 dBm (dBu)

- An 'averaging' meter reads the average levels 

- Like our hearing, indicates the average loudness

- Not the actual level of the signal (VU meter is strength meter)

▲ VU Meter

2. Peak Meter

- Read absolute level (Not an average level)

- Track all transients

- Indicates the true electrical peak

- Must use for digital recording

- Most peak meters are L.E.D. (Light Emitting Diodes) 

- Type of meter: individual lights, bar graph

▲ Peak Meter

3. PPM

- Peak Program Meter

- -12 = +4 dBm

- Fast Rise Ballistic

- Slow Fall off Ballistic 

- Read both absolute & average level

▲ Peak Program Meter

4. Digital Meter

- Digital ‘0’ = MOL (Maximum Operating Level)

- Accepted ROL Level (Reference Operating Level) = -18

- Digital level gives more freedom than analog does in controlling

▲ Digital Meter

*Basically 2 ~ 4 are same things (except VU meter)

[side trip]

▲ Range of analog & digital meter © The Music Telegraph

▲ Dynamic Range (*Refer to range of Headroom (0 vu ~ 18 vu; +4 dBu ~ +24 dBu, ROL ~ MOL)) © The Music Telegraph

▲ Audio signal and noise waveform © The Music Telegraph

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