signal with a relatively slow speed of 300 milliseconds (3/10s of a second). This may not seem useful for avoiding clipping, but it has benefits that 'hit close to home'. Our human ears hear in averages, not peaks, with a similar response time to VU meters. This all ties in with perceived loudness and the miracle of compression. As the average level of a signal increases, our ears perceive the sound to be louder even if the signal's peak does not change. VU meters help us to see what our ears are hearing. RMS and average meters are not only found in VU meters. They are often seen along side peak meters on analyzers and mastering plug-ins the software world.
Trust Your Meters
Both peak and average meters can be powerful tools when working with audio. Trust your meters to show you what is exactly happening in specific sections of your signal path, but don't forget to trust your ears as well. |
