Orban updates loudness meter

Broadcast audio specialist Orban has announced a new update to its popular free loudness metering software for Windows (Vista/7/8) and Mac (OS X 10.6 and greater).

Orban Loudness Meter Version 2.7 adds two important new features: support for up to 7.1-channel surround, and the ability to analyze files in several common formats off-line to measure their ITU-R BS.1770-3 Integrated Loudness and Loudness Range. This combination of new features allows any organization to qualify files, whether stereo or surround, for compliance with the Calm Act and EBU R128.

Like its predecessor, version 2.7 measures loudness using both the Jones & Torick (CBS Technology Center) and BS.1770-3 algorithms, displaying BS.1770-3 Short-Term, Momentary, and Integrated loudness in addition to the Jones and Torick loudness. The meter also provides PPM and VU meters, and a "Reconstructed Peak" meter with an 8X-upsampled sidechain to predict the peak levels that will appear after digital to analog conversion. This reconstructed peak meter exceeds the requirements of the "true-peak" meter described in BS.1770-3, which specifies a 4X-upsampled sidechain.

The meter supports the Windows and Mac native audio subsystems as well as ASIO. The Windows version supports the file containers supported in Microsoft Media Foundation. The meter requires an Intel or Intel-compatible processor that supports the SSE2 instruction set, which qualifies almost every Intel- or AMD-based computer manufactured in the last 10 years.

Because the Windows version uses the Microsoft WASAPI audio API and Microsoft Media Foundation, Windows XP support is no longer included but version 2.0 of the loudness meter will continue to be available for XP users.

The meter is available for free download from www.orban.com/meter.

www.orban.com