Decibel vs Dusk Audio Spectrum Analyzer
Decibel
process.audioDusk Audio Spectrum Analyzer
duskaudio.comSide by side
| Figure | Decibel | Dusk Audio Spectrum Analyzer |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Audio Analysis Software | 8.4 (#6) | 8.0 (#15) |
| Maker | Process.Audio describes itself as the software division of pureMix, founded by music professionals led by Fab Dupont. | Dusk Audio describes itself as a solo endeavor; the opened About page does not state headquarters or a founding date. |
| Purpose | Decibel provides customizable real-time audio metering for sound engineers and video makers. | Spectrum Analyzer is a real-time measurement plugin for viewing frequency spectrum, loudness, true peak, stereo correlation, and K-System headroom. |
| Support | Process.Audio says it usually responds to support messages within 24 hours. | Users can report bugs and suggest features through GitHub Issues; financial support is optional. |
Plans
In their own words
Decibel
Decibel provides customizable real-time audio metering for sound engineers and video makers, and can also analyze tracks offline. Its modules measure loudness (LUFS), dynamics (TrueDyn), true peak, RMS, frequency content, and stereo phase. Users can drag a track into the app for offline analysis and export measurement statistics. Available analysis views include LUFS, histogram, spectrum, spectrogram, VU, digital meter, phase scope, stereo cloud, and super meter. Decibel comes as 64-bit AU, VST3, and AAX plugins, plus a standalone version. The product page lists compatibility with Pro Tools, Cubase, Logic Pro X, Ableton, Studio One, and Luna, as well as Premiere Pro; DaVinci Resolve and Final Cut Pro are described as coming soon. It can connect unlimited iOS and Android displays over Wi-Fi or USB for real-time metering. Decibel is listed for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. The maker says it complies with ATSC A/85, EBU R128, Netflix, and DVD/Blu-ray broadcast standards. Licenses are perpetual and include free updates, with no subscriptions.
Dusk Audio Spectrum Analyzer
Dusk Audio Spectrum Analyzer is a free, real-time plugin for measuring frequency spectrum, loudness, true peak, stereo correlation, and K-System headroom. Its FFT display offers 2048, 4096, and 8192 sample resolutions, with adjustable smoothing and slope and an optional peak hold. Loudness readings cover EBU R128 Momentary, Short-term, Integrated, and Loudness Range measurements. True peak detection follows ITU-R BS.1770-4 with 4x oversampling; the stereo correlation meter runs from -1 to +1. Channel views include Stereo, Mono, Mid, and Side. The manual describes it as a pure analyzer that leaves the audio path unchanged, so output matches input regardless of settings. It requires a 64-bit DAW supporting VST3, LV2, or AU. Listed formats are Linux VST3 and LV2, Windows VST3, and macOS VST3 and AU. Minimum systems are Debian 12+, Ubuntu 22.04+, or Fedora 36+ on Linux, Windows 10+, and macOS 10.13+. The plugins are free and open source, with source code on GitHub. The listed price is free.