Update: I've talked with Orban about updating this metering tool for OS X 10.10 and beyond and unfortunately they're not interested in doing this work nor did they want to release the code as open source for others to achieve it. I highly recommend looking at one of the other answers if you're on El Capitan or newer.For the past 8 months or so I've been using the free to do metering on arbitrary audio signals on my Mac. It has pretty good support for snooping on the real audio interfaces I have connected to my machine.
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And when its built-in snooping doesn't work, I'll route audio through it using SoundFlower.The UI isn't pretty but it is by far and away the best loudness meter I've used, including paid options. It's meant for professional metering with an audience of radio and television post-production audio professionals.It implements some of the new weighted average standards in metering that are designed to get The Loudness Wars under control - they're weighted such that maximal limiting of the signal ends up showing an overall lower output average power.
It encourages mixing for dynamics instead of mixing for loud.Their Mac 2.0.6 version has been running just fine for me on OS X 10.9.x Mavericks.
I got to digging around last night on that wonderful series of tubes we call the internet, looking for something like a basic VU meter (standalone variety, not a plug in) that would monitor audio playing through my system.Actually, not as easy as it seems. I inadvertently downloaded a couple that were intended to be plug-ins - but not for any software I own - and there was one supposedly that would monitor audio levels in iTunes - not quite what I was looking for, but I installed it anyway, and when I opened up iTunes, it was nowhere to be found.The most promising stand alone one seemed to be the Orban Loudness Meter - and at Free, it was certainly the right price too - but no matter how loudly or softly I played audio, it detected. Absolutely nothing. I tried all the different settings - Built-In Digital Input, Built-in Line Input, Soundflower 2ch and 16ch (even though I don't really know what that is), and still nothing. As far as it was concerned, there was no audio playing through my computer.I found one page that displayed 25 pieces of software that all claimed to do some variety of audio metering. Some were as expensive as 150 Euros. Sigh.I produce a weekly radio show, and I edit that show on a piece of software called Fission.
It's simple, robust, elegant, and gets the job done. And all I want is a stand-alone app that will sit quietly in the background and monitor the audio levels during playback.Right now, I rely on my ears to make sure the audio levels are good on playback, but thought maybe it would be nice to have a second opinion.So. Sorry about the long saga. Anyone have any advice? Because I'm stumped.Also - don't have a lot to spend on this.
I'm hoping for something like either free or maybe 10, 15 bucks at the very outside.Thanks, Gurus!!!! Well, I think that was one of the plug-ins I tried, and it said to install it into the Library: Application Support folder, and after I did, the only thing in there was a EULA, a pdf instruction manual, and a html link that took you to their website - but no plug-in that I could see. And in their users manual, Fission (my particular piece of editing software) didn't show up as one of the supported applications.
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So, I don't know, maybe I did something wrong. I opted for the 'Easy Install' so it should have installed everything.I must admit to being somewhat confused by the whole DAW thing. I don't have a special sound card or anything like that. I just edit the audio for the radio show using Fission - it's pretty much like a word processor - drag, drop, cut and paste. So, I dunno, maybe I need a primer/refresher course on DAW?The people who make Fission also make another piece of software (Audio Hijack Pro) that will let you capture any audio that is currently going through the system bus. They also have setting for capturing audio from iTunes and other pieces of software, but the setting that allows for the capturing of ANY audio was the one that made me think that there might be a piece of stand alone software that basically did the same thing, in terms of a VU Meter, that just monitored the audio going through the system.Maybe I'll try another installation on your recommendation.
Analog vu meter free download - Windows VU Meter, Audiosoft Stereo VU Meter, Spectrum Analyzer Pro Live, and many more programs. I'm looking for a VU meter plug in for iTunes - I look at VU meters all the time for assuring consistent sound levels - would look to have that tool for iTunes to match levels. Does anyone know of a plug in? I saw a post asking same question July 30, 2010 but no answers. Couldn't find one Googling either.
I'm pretty sure that's the first one I found last night.
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January 2023
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