What is True Peak? Top True Peak Analyzer Plugins (Free & Paid)
What is "True Peak"?
True peak is a measure of the loudest instant of the music that will occur when the digital music is converted to analog. It's a different value than what your DAW might be showing. Different streaming services and online music stores have different loudness standards. That's why, to accurately master our music, we should use a "True peak" meter or analyzer.
So, here's a list of some amazing True Peak analyzers plugins!
1. Youlean Loudness Meter (Free/$55.46)
Youlean Loudness meter does only one job: accurately tell you the loudness of your song! When it comes to analyzing loudness, this plugin is all you need. This plugin has two versions: Free and Paid. The free version is probably all you will need. If you need some advanced features like loudness presets, instant drag and drop analysis, then, the paid version is for you! It's definitely worth its price!
2. MLoudnessAnalyzer (Free)
MLoudnessMeter is a free Loudness analyzer from Melda Production. It is a great choice for those who are familiar with Melda's free plugin bundle suite. If you're looking for an analyzer with no limitations and some great presets for free, then this can be a great choice for you. This plugin can also be used as a limiter. So, that's a plus point.
3. SPAN (Free)
SPAN is probably the most popular choice among mixing engineers. It is a free loudness analyzer and you can also use it to analyze the frequency band. Its interface is simple and old-school looking. If you're looking for a free loudness analyzer that can also analyze the frequency band, that SPAN is a great choice for you.
4. Ozone Elements ($129)
Ozone Elements is the stripped-down version of Ozone 9. It comes with probably everything you will ever need for basic mastering. It has an EQ, stereo imager, and a Maximizer! It is priced at $129 but you can get it for free during special sales. For example, a few days ago, it was available for free on the occasion of Izotope's anniversary. So, keep an eye on Izotope's website for that.
5. FabFilter Pro-L-2 ($199)
If you've been producing music for long enough, you might have heard about FabFilter. Fabfilter offers some of the best mixing and mastering plugins and FabFilter Pro-L-2 is one of them. It is a mastering limiter and analyzer that can be a great choice for those who are ready to pay for it. Fabfiter is famous for its audio quality and it's definitely worth its price.