AES: TC Electronic addresses 'loudness'

KITCHENER, ONTARIO — TC Electronic (www.tcelectronic.com) brought its LM2 stereo loudness and true-peak level meter to this year’s AES show in San Francisco. The LM2 helps users maintain loudness precision and quality by eliminating level jumps and other aural inconsistencies. 

The new LM2 complies with the European R128 loudness standard, as well as US standards. The meter analyzes any audio — speech, music or other sources — and assigns it an ATSC A/85- or EBU R128-compliant loudness number. Numbers may be used to normalize programs, commercials and music tracks, and to set metadata in AC3 transmission. This helps eliminate level jumps and other inconsistencies caused by human error.

Users can view the loudness numbers generated by the LM2 on the meter’s front panel or stats display. Connecting the LM2 to a PC or Mac, via USB, allows users to access “radar meter” technology, which displays loudness over a given period of time. The radar can show loudness data from up to 24 hours back in time, even if there was no connection to a computer during that period.

Pre-transmission, the LM2 can log the outgoing loudness level of the broadcast station for a full week. Detailed log files may be imported into Excel. Post-transmission, LM2 can be used to monitor and log what is sent out.