Logic's meters, what scale?

[Tarekith]

What scale are Logic 7.2's meters? Is there any way to set them so that they are peaking and not (what appears to be) RMS?

[guavadude]

I don't think so. I recommend Free G fader from Sonalksis and Roger Nichols has a free older version of Multimeter.

I'd love it if Logic's faders looked like Free G's!

[Tarekith]

I usually use Inspector XL in K-14 mode for critical metering, so I'm well covered there. Just annoying seeing Logic's meters saying the signal is 3.5dB but not clipping. Looks like it clips at 6dB then?

 

I'm used to working in dBFS scales, not used to seeing a digital meter scaled like it was a PPM.

[musick]

I'm used to working in dBFS scales, not used to seeing a digital meter scaled like it was a PPM.

Same for me....

[David Nahmani]

Logic's meters are peak meters. You can view both RMS and/or peak in the level meter plug-in.

[musick]

But how does the meter dB scale relate to the digital full scale (what's the dB's reference)? I assumed that 0db on the meter is 0dBFs (full scale). So having a signal larger as 0dB on the master output would mean digital clipping.

[Tarekith]

Logic's meters are peak meters.

 

In what scale then is my question.

[David Nahmani]

in dBFS - was that the question asked? Digital signals are pretty much always measured in dBFS.

[Tarekith]

Logic's aren't though, that's my issue. If I play back an audio file I know is -0.2dBFS, Logic's meter is showing me the file is 3.3 on it's meter.

 

My question, is 3.3 WHAT? I'm just curious what Logic is really showing me with that number above the fader in the Arrange View.

[David Nahmani]

It is definitely the peak value of your audio signal in dBFS ... so I'm not sure why you are getting this discrepancy. Is it possible you are not playing back the section of your audio file that has the maximum peak? Is you master fader (not just Out 1-2, but also the Master Fader) on any other position than 0?

[Tarekith]

I just generated a pink noise sample in Wavelab, with a level of 0dFS. If I load this on an audio track in Logic, and make sure all my channels are set to 0 (no sends, effects, busses or anything else in the Environment), I still get readings of 3 in Logic's channel strip.

 

I admit I'm new to Logic, but I can't see where I'm getting an additional 3dB of attenuation if Logic's meters are really measuring dbFS.

 

Here's a screen shot, those are the only three items in my Environment:

 

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/1984/picture2ny9.jpg

[David Nahmani]

What pan law are you using? File > Song Settings > Audio.

 

My guess is you are using -3dB.

[Tarekith]

LOL, I was just coming to ask what pan law Logic uses. This is the first time I've ever seen DAW meters not compensate for the pan law though, interesting...

[Tarekith]

So I assume "3dB Compensated" is meant to address this inconsistancy?

 

Seems to, though now I'm actually reading 0.2dBFS over 0dbFS when playing back files that are -0.2dBFS...

[Tarekith]

Nevermind, it is showing -0.2dBFS, I'm not used to Logic not showing the '-' symbol in front of negative readings.

 

Thanks for all your help!

[David Nahmani]

You're welcome!

[musick]

What pan law are you using? File > Song Settings > Audio.

 

My guess is you are using -3dB.

Thanks for the explanation! Learned another small bit of Logic