Decibel vs Metering Cockpit

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.

Metering Cockpit is a loudness metering plug-in for mixing and mastering, with a frequency analyzer and monitoring aids. Its displays cover loudness, peak level, dynamics, spectrum, stereo correlation, waveform, and loudness history. Loudness measurement follows BS.1770-4, and loudness range measurement follows EBU R128. The fractional-octave analyzer spans 1/1 to 1/24 octave and can show raw FFT bins. For reference monitoring, users can load a file, compare it with a mix, and set its listening level independently. The plug-in adds no latency and leaves audio unchanged unless a frequency band is soloed or the reference is playing. It works in hosts that load VST3 or AU. macOS 11 or newer is required, with VST3 and AU formats; 64-bit Windows 10 or newer supports VST3. The macOS installer is signed and notarized. The plug-in is free for private and commercial use, with no registration or time limit. Reference files are limited to ten minutes because they are converted to the session rate and held in memory.