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Metering plugins are essential for anyone working with audio to a professional level. While your ears are amazing tools, they’re not the best at precise measurements. That’s why metering plugins are used at almost every stage of music production. A good metering plugin lets you visualize what’s going on in your audio, and make decisions based on that. While you can get away without using metering tools while producing, they’re invaluable tools when it comes to Mixing and Mastering. In this article, we’ll cover the 6 best metering plugins to use for mixing & mastering. As a bonus, we also added some free options down below!
Contents
What Does A Metering Plugin Do?
Metering plugins come in all shapes and sizes and we’ll talk about them shortly, but to get you up to speed, metering tools are used to gauge the loudness and frequency response of your track.
When mastering music for streaming, there are certain loudness levels these services tend to normalize music to. While mastering for streaming isn’t entirely necessary, making sure your levels are appropriate for the medium is important for good translation.
Different streaming services and mediums have their own standards, so it’s a good idea to make sure you’re hitting a good middle point between them. This is impossible without a proper metering tool.
Opinions vary on what you should and shouldn’t master your music to and we won’t get into that, but no matter what, you can’t make an educated decision without metering.
Up to now, we’ve only talked about loudness, but there is a lot more nuance to mastering music. From your stereo field to your frequency spectrum, there is way more to think about than just loudness.
The Different Types of Metering & Why They Matter
Now that you know what metering is good for, it’s time to look at the different types of metering that you’ll encounter!
Here is a list of the different types of metering found in audio production:
- Loudness & Level Meters
- True Peak – The measure of the absolute loudest point in the signal. Peak metering comes from Analog gear and is usually less accurate than Floating Point True Peak metering.
- RMS (Root Mean Square) – RMS is the average loudness of your signal over time. It’s judged based on the amount of relative voltage in the signal and is an Analog way to judge loudness. RMS is rarely used for digital productions.
- LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale) – LUFS are a measure of average perceived loudness in your signal. This is a more complicated measurement but is more accurate to how humans perceive loudness. LUFS are the industry standard loudness measurement.
- Goniometer (Stereo Width) – Goniometers show the stereo information in your signal. They’re usually laid out with mono information on the vertical axis, and stereo information on the horizontal. This lets you judge stereo “leak”, width and more.
- Frequency Spectrum Analyzer – Spectrum Analyzer’s let you visualize the balance of frequencies over the entire signal. These are mainly used to check for issues in the extreme ends of the spectrum, that are either too high or low to reproduce/perceive.
- Phase Correlation Meter – A phase correlation meter displays the phase relationship of your stereo signal. This lets you judge whether your left and right channels are in or out of phase. Out of phase stereo can lead to phase cancelling and other issues.
- Multimeter – A Multimeter is a metering tool that combines the different measurements of audio into one plugin.
Will A Free Metering Plugin Suffice or is it Best To Invest?
Metering plugins these days have gotten really good. Tools like the YouLean Loudness Meter Free version are usually all that most people need on a daily basis. Free tools are usually much more limited than paid metering plugins. If you’re looking to have complete control over your mix and master levels, you really should invest in a fully-fledged multi-tool.
Turning back to the same example, YouLean’s Loudness meter is much better when you pay for it. The free versions are enough for most but will run out of steam for more professional work.
What Are The Best Metering Plugins?
Here’s the complete list of the best metering plugins:
- IK Multimedia T-Racks 5 Metering
- Metric AB by ADPTR Audio
- Levels by Mastering the Mix
- Insight by iZotope
- YouLean Loudness Meter
- HOFA IQ-Series Analyser V2
1. IK Multimedia T-Racks 5 Metering
Compatibility: Windows 7, 8 or 10 ; macOS 10.10 or later ; VST2, VST3, AU, AAX ; 64-bit only
Price: $110
Pros
✅ Great Visual Feedback and workflow
✅ Included Spectrogram
✅ VU and PPM Meters
✅ Mid/Side, Phase metering and Goniometer
✅ Great Presets
Cons
❌ Only available for 64-bit systems
IK Multimedia’s T-RackS 5 is one of the most powerful modular mixing and mastering suites out there. The T-RackS 5 Metering suite is one of the most versatile and feature-rich multi-meters out there.
With the T-Racks 5 Metering suite, you get precise and accurate Loudness measurements with LUFS, Peak, RMS as well as Dynamic Range metering.
A spectrogram, real-time audio analyzer, phase and goniometer are also included, to give you everything you might want from a multi-meter. You also get classic VU and PPM meters as well as a Mid/Side section
The big advantage of the T-RackS 5 Metering Suite is the visual layout and workflow of the plugin. Everything is instantly visually perceivable so that no detail in your music ever gets past you.
2. Metric AB by ADPTR Audio
Compatibility: Windows 7, 8 or 10 ; macOS 10.9 to 10.15 ; VST2, VST3, AAX, AU ; 64-bit only
Price: $199
Pros
✅ Easy to set up reference tracks
✅ Loudness matching
✅ Good Metering tools
✅ Good visual workflow
✅ DAW Sync
Cons
❌ Quite expensive for a utility plugin
Metric AB by ADPTR Audio is a very useful plugin for finishing your audio production. Metric AB is essentially a tool for easily comparing your mix to a reference track.
With five metering modes – Spectrum, Stereo image, loudness, correlation and dynamics, you also get a very capable multi-meter.
When mastering to a reference track it can be annoying to deal with a reference track and separate meters. With Metric AB you can load up to 16 reference tracks in any file format to compare to your track with a single click.
You can set loop points that sync with your DAW for easy comparison, as well as a loudness matching function that can be a big help in getting your masters sounding just right.
While you don’t get the number of metering utilities like you do with T-Racks 5 metering, this is a different take on metering and referencing. Metric AB is one of those plugins we think everyone should try out.
3. Levels by Mastering the Mix
Compatibility: Windows 7, 8 or 10 ; macOS 10.10 or later ; VST2, VST3, AU, AAX ; 64-bit only
Price: $64
Pros
✅ Vectorscope Stereo Field metering
✅ Combined Meters for easier use
✅ Beautiful and simple UI
✅ Bass Space meter for perfecting low-end
✅ Great visual feedback for any issues
✅ Very Affordable
Cons
❌ Combined meters can be less useful when you’re only looking for one meter.
Mastering The Mix has tried to re-invent the multi-metering tool and in our opinion has been quite successful at this.
Levels is easy-to-use and exceedingly flexible. The Headroom meter will be your main tool, with awesome integrated and short-term LUFS metering.
In addition to this you also get a Stereo Field view. This combines a correlation meter with Left-Right meters into a Vectorscope for a streamlined visual representation of your stereo field.
A Dynamic Range meter and Bass Space meter conclude the main features of Levels. Each meter window combines multiple different meters to get you a simpler and more straightforward view of your audio.
Over 10 different meters have been used to compile the plugin, giving you a very unconventional, but super usable and fun metering plugin.
4. Insight 2 by iZotope
Compatibility: Windows 10, 11; macOS 10.13 – 12.3 ; VST2 , VST3, AAX, AU ; 64-bit only
Price: $199
Pros
✅ Intelligibility Meter
✅ Dolby Atmos 7.1 multichannel support
✅ Color-coded warnings
✅ Easily set targets and layouts
✅ Customizable UI
Cons
❌ Can feel slow and cumbersome at times
Insight 2 by iZotope is another entry into their roster of Intelligent production utilities. At its core, Insight 2 features 4 metering tools: Loudness metering, Levels, Sound Field metering and a 3D Spectrogram
Insight 2 is aimed at the broadcast professional offering easy-to-set targets and swappable layouts. If some part of your audio isn’t where you want it to be, the colour coded warning will instantly let you know what you need to fix and adjust.
An Intelligibility meter also helps when you’re doing post-production for a podcast or a tv show, instantly letting you know if your dialogue is hitting right.
A resizable and customizable interface also makes it so that you can set up Insight 2 to be the perfect metering tool for you.
This feature-rich multi-meter offers pretty much everything you’d ever need from a metering plugin. That being said, it can feel a bit clunky and slow at times, especially when compared to T-Racks 5 or Levels
5. YouLean Loudness Meter
Compatibility: Windows 7, 8 or 10 ; macOS 10.8 or later ; VST2, VST3, AU, AAX, Standalone ; 32-bit/64-bit
Price: $37
Pros
✅ Dynamics and Loudness Histogram
✅ A/B function
✅ Loudness and Dynamics Graph export function
✅ Presets for Film, TV, Gaming and Streaming
✅ Drag-and-drop audio analysis function
Cons
❌Only meant for loudness and dynamics and won’t help you judge stereo field or phase correlation
YouLean Loudness Meter Pro is one of the most popular metering tools out there. Especially the free version is usually most producers’ first experience with an audio metering utility.
YouLean isn’t a multi-tool, rather focusing on just Loudness in your mix. This focus on loudness lets YouLean Loudness Meter Pro offer more than most other metering tools out there.
In addition to super-precise loudness, levels and dynamic range measurements, you also get a very helpful histogram of your loudness and dynamics over time. While all measurements happen in real-time, you can also drag and drop audio for analysis right into the plugin.
You can also export these graphs, to better analyze them afterwards. There are also awesome presets for streaming platforms, letting you nail your mastering loudness to the tee.
YouLean Loudness Meter Pro is an essential tool for mastering the loudness of your audio. You probably already have the Free version, but the Pro is a great investment!
6. HOFA IQ-Series Analyser V2
Compatibility: Windows 7, 8, 10, 11 ; macOS 10.8 or later ; VST2, VST3, AU, AAX ; 32-bit/64-bit
Price: $199
Pros
✅ Multi-instancing in one window
✅ Reference Curves
✅ Latency Free operation
✅ IQ series EQ integration
✅ Pink/White noise weighting
✅ Standalone app available
Cons
❌ No Stereo Field metering
❌ GUI issues on Studio One
The HOFA IQ Series Analyser V2 is one of the best frequency metering tools out there. The IQ Series Analyser is an innovative tool to help you notice and fix issues with your frequency spectrum.
While you do get a Loudness meter included, the main core of the plugin is the frequency analyser. With a 31-band frequency correlator and great visual feedback, the IQ analyser V2 is perfect for singling out frequency issues with your audio.
You can also create preset EQ curves that you can use to compare against, for making sure your mix is hitting the way you want it to.
The IQ Analyser V2 is a plugin mostly meant for one type of metering, which it does incredibly well. That being said, plugins like Pro-Q3 include almost identical functionality within them.
The IQ Analyser is more precise when it comes to Frequency issues, but that may not justify the price of the plugin. Perfect for broadcast professionals, but maybe a little redundant for most bedroom producers!
What Are The Best Free Metering Plugins?
Write this part like a separate article. Compare to paid plugins during, but don’t say “like we said earlier in this list”. This article may well be an entirely separate article, so write it as such.
Here’s the complete list of the best free metering plugins:
- Voxengo Span
- YouLean loudness meter FREE
- MAnalyzer
- Flux Stereo Tool
- TBProAudio mvMeter 2
1. Voxengo Span
Compatibility: Windows XP and later; macOS 10.11 or later; VST2, VST3, AU, AAX ; 32-bit/64-bit
Price: FREE
Pros
✅ Loudness Metering
✅ Frequency spectrum analysis
✅ Phase Correlation and Goniometer
✅ Customizable interface
✅ A/B function
Cons
❌GUI looks dated
Voxengo Span is easily the best FREE multi-meter plugin out there. With Loudness metering, Mid/Side analysis, multi-channel functionality and awesome visual feedback, Span is a must-have for a producer on a budget.
The Spectrum analyzer is also an incredibly helpful feature, that lets you both analyse and compare your audio signal. The spectrum smoothing function also makes it much easier to see what your frequency balance is.
In addition to the usual headroom, true peak and clipping meters, you also get a phase correlation meter and a goniometer.
With re-sizeable windows, colour variants and more, SPAN is easily the best FREE multi-meter plugin out there
2. YouLean loudness meter FREE
Compatibility: Windows 7, 8 or 10 ; macOS 10.8 or later ; VST2, VST3, AU, AAX, Standalone ; 32-bit/64-bit
Price: FREE
Pros
✅ Precise Loudness metering
✅ Dynamics and True Peak metering
✅ Histogram and Distribution Graphs
✅ Useful loudness presets
Cons
❌No drag-and-drop functionality
❌Only useful for Loudness and Dynamics metering
Just like the YouLean Loudness meter Pro, the FREE version consists of all of the loudness measurements you would need, as well as an awesome histogram for both loudness and dynamics.
The main difference between the Pro and FREE versions are the A/B functionality as well as Graph exporting and drag-and-drop analysis.
Your audio metering is displayed in real-time, with measurements for loudness and dynamics running all the time. Presets for TV, Gaming and Film are also included to better nail your loudness.
YouLean’s Loudness Meter FREE is an awesome plugin to start metering your audio. Loudness is usually the main thing most producers focus on, so this tool will give you almost everything you want.
3. MAnalyzer
Compatibility: Windows 8 or later; macOS 10.14 or later ; VST2, VST3, AU, AAX; 32-bit/64-bit
Price: FREE
Pros
✅ A to H switching
✅ Mid/Side encoding
✅ Up to 8 surround channels
✅ Great Global Preset Management
✅ Unlimited Sample-Rate
Cons
❌ Lacks substantial Loudness metering
MAnalyzer by MeldaProduction is one of the best multi-meters in the FREE space. Offering an awesome spectral analyzer and sonogram, MAnalyzer is a great way to perfect your mix and master.
With necessary features like frequency smoothing, deharmonization and more, MAnalyzer will be a really helpful tool for nailing your frequency balance.
Additionally, while most plugins offer A/B comparisons, MAnalyzer has an A to H switcher, letting you freely switch between up to 8 instances of the plugin. The first 4 slots also feature a morphing function to find the perfect middle ground.
You get 3 loudness metering tools, with True Peak, RMS and Width metering, but LUFS measurements and Dynamics aren’t available with this tool. Combining MAnalyser with YouLean Loudness Meter will give you 90% of the metering you would ever want!
4. Flux Stereo Tool
Compatibility: Windows 10/11 ; macOS 10.12 or later ; VST2, AU, AAX ; 64-bit only
Price: FREE
Pros
✅ Vectorscope monitoring
✅ Phase Correlation Metering
✅ Ultra-Precise control over Left and Right channels
✅ Individual panning for Left and Right channels
Cons
❌ Most Multi-meters offer the same or more functionality
Stereo Tool by Flux is a great little utility metering plugin that proves useful time and time again. Stereo Tool does pretty much what it says on the tin, you get precise control for both input gain and individual pan for your left and right channels.
Vectorscope monitoring helps you oversee any changes you’ve made to your stereo field. The plugin also has useful PPM meters as well as a phase correlation meter, letting you monitor your polarity in real time.
Stereo Tool by Flux can be very useful in a pinch, but most metering multi-tools include all of the functionality that Stereo Tool does, in a more versatile package.
For a FREE metering utility though, Stereo Tool will help you bolster your metering tool selection. Combine this with YouLean Loudness Meter and MAnalyser and you’ll be set for most of your metering needs!
5. TBProAudio mvMeter 2
Compatibility: Windows 7 or later ; macOS 10.11 – 12.2 ; VST2, VST3, AU, AAX, Standalone ; 32-bit/64-bit
Price: FREE
Pros
✅ RMS and PPM measurements
✅ Dual meter mode
✅ Customizable UI
✅ Great Presets
Cons
❌Quite limited and not perfect for loudness metering
For those of you looking for more tried and true ways of metering, TBProAudio mvMeter 2 offers just that. A classic VU meter with additional functionality such as RMS and PPM measurements, mvMeter 2 is a useful tool for all producers!
With a single/dual meter screen, you can set up your meters to show you the things you need, in addition to adjustable reference modes, delay and a great preset manager.
Gain Matching is also available, as well as a Gain Link function. Additionally, the mvMeter 2 comes with 5 different meter themes, to customize the look and feel of your plugin.
A great little utility plugin for engineers looking for a more simple way to meter your audio, TBPRoAudio’s mvMeter 2 is a worthy pickup!
Summary
To recap, here is the complete list of the best metering plugins!
- IK Multimedia T-Racks 5 Metering
- Metric AB by ADPTR Audio
- Levels by Mastering the Mix
- Insight by iZotope
- YouLean Loudness Meter
- HOFA 4U Goniometer & Korrelator
Metering plugins and multi-tools are valuable to any audio production. In the digital age, no matter what you do, whether it’s podcasting, music or voice-over work, making sure your audio does what you want it to, is key!
We’ve included a variety of options from the premium, to the free, so no matter what level you’re working at, there will be something for you!
Hopefully, you enjoyed this article, if you’d like to read more of our tutorials, lists and reviews, make sure to click below!
Toms is a music producer & DJ, born and raised in Post Soviet Latvia. Currently based in Brighton, Toms has had over 6 years of experience with all things production and in that time, he’s done a tonne of cool stuff! He’s played multiple festivals, had experience in the field with mixing & mastering and even become a freelance journalist in the music industry.
Toms currently creates music under the alias Sovereign. Producing music that’s intimate and subtle, while full of edge and energy, the young producer combines the artistic sounds of Trip Hop artists like Massive Attack, with the energy and youthfulness of producers like Flume, Jamie XX and Yaeji. You can check his stuff on Soundcloud.
