Metering Cockpit vs MiniMeters

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.

MiniMeters is an audio metering application and plug-in suite for Windows, macOS, and Linux. The standalone app can monitor stereo input or supported system output, or receive audio from its Audio Server plug-in. Its modules display VU, waveform, spectrogram, spectrum, stereometer, loudness, and oscilloscope measurements. Users can arrange meters in a horizontal bar, separate them into windows, or use Quad Layout. MiniMeters can record audio directly and clip the previous 10 or 60 seconds of received audio. Individual plug-ins come in VST3, CLAP, and Audio Unit formats, and require a compatible host. The maker describes it as a display tool for measurements, not an audio processor. The no-time-limit demo is limited to Waveform and Loudness modules and places demo text on screen. The paid product costs 20.00 USD once, with a minimum price of $20 USD, and includes the standalone app, Audio Server plug-in, and meter plug-ins. Minimum requirements include Windows 10, macOS 10.15, or Linux kernel 5.4.0-174; macOS 14.2 is required for audio output capture.