In conjunction with the Pleasurize Music Foundation (PMF), MAAT Digital has worked hard remodelling the TT DR Meter plug-in to get the same familiar and much-loved ballistics of the original, which over the years helped to preserve dynamics for modern pop releases.

The only difference between the original and new DR meters is the removal of Correlation metering and the Mono Button. These were in response to user requests, to reduce UI height so the new DRMeter takes up less screen real estate. They have implemented those in a free plug-in, the MAAT 2BusControl, which also includes solo buttons for L, R, MONO & DIFF, plus a left-right flip button and a useful Balance meter that we featured in a recent Friday Free Plug-in article. With regard to the new Dynamic Range Meter, Matt Digital say..

Usable metering is an essential for any engineer, and the DRMeter´s measurement and display algorithms adhere to our guiding philosophy of enhancing your workflow and improving ergonomics through careful attention to the way you actually work. Ballistics are meticulously tuned to achieve the best match between the aural impressions you hear, and the optical rendering by the meters. Likewise, the plug-in is "light weight" demanding a minimum of CPU resources so it won´t slow down your host.

The Back Story

The DR algorithm, akin to PLR (Peak–to–Loudness Ratio) or “crest factor,” measures the dynamic density or lack of dynamics caused by overly aggressive dynamic compression and limiting. When the loudest spots of a song are measured, it gives the user an estimate of the "official" DR Value. Seeing an indication of dynamic range inspires users to back away from hyper-compression. The complete DR metering system, composed of the real-time DRMeter plus the DROffline batch processor, was created by Friedemann Tischmeyer to address the need to generate a repeatable, easy to understand numeric value. In response to the broadly publicised “Loudness Wars,” the Pleasurize Music Foundation (PMF) worked to raise awareness that oppressively compressed dynamics in pop music are not only counterproductive but sound often like crap! The PMF’s original TT DR Meter and its offline companion were groundbreaking in their time providing a deterministic benchmark and was used by engineers and consumers to measure and log the dynamic range of popular music releases around the world. Alas, as with all things digital, the TT DR Meter grew old, especially as the original meter was only available in 32-bit and so wouldn't work on current 64-bit architecture DAWs. An update was needed and MATT Digital has stepped up.

The First Step

The Maat DRMeter release is their first step in bringing forward the legacy of the PMF’s legendary TT Dynamic Range Meter, this “micro” version will soon be followed by its big brother. The upcoming, upgradable DRMeterMkII will feature all the modern metering algorithms, including True Peak Level and Loudness Units compliant with EBU R128 and ATSC A/85. MAAT explain...

We have paid particular attention to the DRMeter’s ballistics, which contributed to the original’s broad acceptance. We have tested the new DRMeter again and again against the original TT DR Meter to ensure a consistent user experience. In addition, DRMeter is modern, supporting all major plug-in formats including VST/VST3 and AAX for MacOS and Windows plus Audio Units for Mac and is priced at $35.