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Bugfix update for the VU Meter with auto gain staging
The HoRNet VUMeter MK4 is a digital VU meter plugin that offers automatic gain setting and grouping functions. Additionally, VUMeter MK4 allows you to name your tracks and groups. You can send every parameter change to any instance of VUMeter MK4, not just the ones in the same group. Moreover, you can display the level of any other instance in the project without closing the GUI or selecting a new track.
VUMeter MK4 proves helpful during both the recording and mixing stages. When recording your tracks, you can use the VU meter’s loudness indicator to get a clear view of your signal’s perceived loudness. With its 300ms integration time, the VU meter provides accurate loudness measurement. For better precision, you can combine it with peak meters to refine your miking technique. It’s essential to keep the loudness and peak values as close as possible for optimal results.
Furthermore, VUMeter MK4 includes a calibration setting that lets you adjust the 0VU point to match the optimal level for your A/D converters. By default, the calibration is set to -18dBFS. However, you should check your A/D converter’s specifications and adjust the calibration to align with its internal headroom. Proper calibration is crucial because A/D converters have an analog front end. If you record too close to 0dBFS, you risk overloading that analog stage.
In the mixing stage, VUMeter MK4 becomes even more essential. You can use it alongside your DAW’s peak meter to identify problematic tracks with too much energy in the transients and insufficient loudness. However, the most valuable feature of VUMeter MK4 is its auto gain function. Gain staging plays a critical role in every mix, especially if you use analog-emulating plugins. If you drive them with too much gain, excessive distortion can accumulate and ruin the overall mix.
To prevent this issue, simply engage VUMeter MK4’s automatic gain function. This feature adjusts the internal gain to ensure your signal peaks at your desired level. You can set this level between -3 and +3 VU for maximum flexibility. However, with transient-heavy sounds, auto gain might boost your track levels too much and cause clipping. To address this, we’ve included a max peak ceiling that prevents the signal from exceeding your set value.
Additionally, the grouping function allows you to organize instances of VU meters into groups. For example, you can group all your drum tracks and apply auto gain, reference, and color settings to every instance in the group with just one click. By choosing the “Send to all” option for any parameter, you can quickly copy that value to every other VUMeter MK4 instance in your project, even if they don’t belong to the same group.
