Reflex Acoustics has launched a new free plugin, the Reflex Dynamic Range Meter. This tool is designed to assist users in visualizing the dynamics of their signal by displaying the real-time loudness distribution of 5-millisecond grains of sound. The spectrum is divided into eight frequency bands, each with its own analysis display.
This plugin offers a range of features that help users understand and manipulate their audio signals. These include the loudness distribution of 5ms grains over the last 3 or 15 seconds, charted relative to mean loudness. It also features colored bars for Peak (green), 90th percentile (blue), 10th percentile (pink), and Low (red) loudness levels.
Additionally, the plugin includes a scrolling waveform display of the last 1 second, at a 5-millisecond resolution. Users can click the display to freeze waveforms for closer examination. The plugin also offers Mid and Side modes, with a readout of side level relative to mid for each frequency band.
The Reflex Dynamic Range Meter also includes a LUFS meter, which shows short-term perceived loudness (i.e., a 3-second trailing). The plugin offers two filter modes: “Eco.” is lighter on CPU but introduces visible artifacts in the waveform displays for the eight frequency bands. The Linear Phase (“Lin.”) mode offers a very clean band separation, albeit with variable latency across the lower-frequency bands. This means that transient peaks may not align across the displays.
The plugin is available in VST3 format for PC, and VST3 & AU formats for Mac. Reflex Acoustics has also announced that AAX support will be available soon. To use the Reflex Dynamic Range Meter, users will need a compatible Digital Audio Workstation or other plugin host.
There is no expiry date for this free plugin, making it a valuable addition to any audio engineer’s toolkit. If you’re interested in visualizing and understanding the dynamics of your audio signals, consider adding the Reflex Dynamic Range Meter to your plugin library.
