Alternative Peak Meter?

[mike7877]

When I'm cheating and don't have to, I do use my Babyface Pro's S/PDIF/ADAT out port to send 24/192 via optical to my Topping D90 III Sabre for utmost sound quality, but sometimes, and for some formats, optical isn't it. I'd also like to make my interface more available.

Right now, I use Equalizer APO to flatten the response of my Sennheiser HD 650s. When outputting directly to the D90 III, the only way I can see a visual representation of the output level after Equalizer APO is in the Playback tab of Control Panel > Sound. I have tested that for all bars to be green, output needs to be right up against the top, less than a dB. This is... inconvenient, to say the least. I don't know that if a peak to 0dB would necessarily register as full bars there if it happens (there might need to be a certain average level at the same time, or the peak might have to last a certain amount of time - I don't know how it operates). Because of this, I can't maximize the dynamic range of my DAC while also avoiding causing accidental compression -if Equalizer APO's output is higher than 0dB, it's just compressed, not clipped, making it exceedingly hard to hear.

What I'd like is something I can force to be on top of all windows and basically looks like the foobar2000 peak meter. Simple, functional, resizable. If its opacity can be adjusted that's even better. It needs to pull from after Equalizer APO.

E

(yes the foobar peak meter is of a mono track - imagine that blue
bar is split in two, with a 1.3mm gap between)




Does such a beast exist? Or am I out of luck?...

 

[dualazmak]

I believe you can use VB-AUDIO Matrix and/or DSP software EKIO as your "on-screen peak meters" monitoring any/all of the audio signals in digital domain.

Paid-up (US$149) EKIO can have unlimited numbers of input (and output) channels (through VB-AUDIO Matrix), and EKIO can work as beautiful and flexible on-screen peak meter array.

You would please first visit and look at my video clips in these posts;
- New video clips of dancing 12-VU-Meter Array (IEC60268-17 compatible) together with all the on-screen Peak Meters of audio software tools while playing reference/sampler music tracks by JRiver MC, ADOBE Audition 3.0.1 and MusicScope 2.1.0:
____Part-1: using a typical reference/sampler music track suitable for high-Fq (treble) transient music sound: #974
____Part-2: using a typical reference/sampler music track suitable for mainly checking and tuning of low Fq (bass) transient music sound as well as total tonality Fq-SPL balance all over 15 Hz to 22 kHz: #975

These posts and the videos thereof showing EKIO's peak meters would be also of your interest and reference, I assume;
- Dancing video of my IEC 60268-17 compatible large glass-face DIY 12-VU-Meter Array
_____Part-1: with "High Frequency Linearity Check Track" of Sony Super Audio Check CD: #750
_____Part-2: with typical "Full Orchestra Music"-1: #751
_____Part-3: with typical "Full Orchestra Music"-2: #752
_____Part-4: with typical "Jazz Piano Trio Music": #753

Furthermore, in case if you are familiar with installation/utilization of various audio VST plug-in modules into your VST-capable audio playing/processing software, I believe you can find various suitable VST peak meter module(s) fit for your requirements, I myself personally avoid this approach, though. Since I use VB-AUDIO Matrix as system-wide audio routing center and EKIO as systemwide DSP center, both of which also can work as perfect and beautiful peak meters.