PPMulator+ is a cross-platform VST plug-in meter for digital audio workstations which exactly mimics the look and feel of a professional broadcast Peak Programme Meter (PPM).
Following on from our earlier, stereo-only PPMulator plugin, PPMulator+ ('PPMulator plus') adds features such as surround (5.1) capability, user-configurable colours and layouts, a fully-featured phase-correlation meter, surround peak-logging, RTAS-compatibility and several other features.
By adding this plugin to the master output of your audio editing program, you can record, edit, mix and export your audio within a precisely-calibrated workspace - something which is often impossible to do when working in a non-studio environment.
PPMulator+ is designed to closely-follow the ballistics of mono, stereo, mid-side (MS) and surround (5.1) PPM meters (conforming to IEC 268-10/DIN 45406) and has a number of built-in additional features, including various display style options and a highly-useful Peak Logging process which logs all peaks/overloads against the timecode in the host application where they occurred.
PPMulator+ Feature Set
- RTAS, VST and AU plug-in for Windows/OSX, 100% compatible with Pro Tools, Nuendo, Tracktion, Logic & other hosts
- Mono/Stereo/Mid-Side/Surround (5.1) metering options, with overload leds
- Configurable as a Type I/Type II PPM, or set your own custom reference levels, ballistics and settings
- Both 'box-and-needle' PPM or plasma bargraph graphical display options
- Unique Peak Logging feature - create lists of 'overs' logged against timecode for unattended mixes/laybacks
- Colour-assignable and user-configurable meter layouts and channel labelling
- Fully-resizable single, dual or multi-meter display, from massive to weeny
- Monitor both input level when recording and output level when mixing
- Also includes 'standalone' version for monitoring the input levels from a soundcard
- Mono gain trim to M3 (-3dB) or M6 (-6dB) standards
- Assignable phase-correlation meter, to check mono compatibility
- Built-in reference tone generator for meter alignment and calibration
Supported Metering Standards
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Click thumbnail (right) to show a larger version of PPMulator+'s Peak Logging panel in surround/5.1 mode. | 
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Frequently-asked questions
- Do I have to buy the VST, RTAS and AU versions separately? - No. For one price, the download of PPMulator+ contains several formats of plugin, as well as the standalone version of the application.
- How can I use PPMulator+ to monitor the output of my video editor? - a lot of Final Cut and Avid
users are asking for this one... In standalone mode, PPMulator+ monitors the level of audio inputs, but can't
intercept the audio streams coming from other applications. We're investigating ways that this might be
possible on the Mac in future, but you could also have a look at either Audio Hijack Pro, or Soundflower, both of which allow VST plugins to be placed on audio output streams (and if you get it to work, let us know!)
- How accurate is PPMulator+ compared to 'hardware' meters? - Well, we've sold a lot of copies to professional broadcasters in both the UK and Europe (as well as other countries around the world) and to date have not received
one single complaint... so, the answer would have to be - it's spot-on!
Download and Purchase
PPMulator+ is now sold and supported by Z-Plane Software - Visit the Z-Plane website to download a fully-featured demo and for more purchasing information...
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