MeterPlugs LCAST Stereo is a comprehensive loudness metering plugin designed for content creators, broadcasters, and audio professionals. This powerful tool provides accurate measurements of integrated loudness, loudness range, maximum momentary loudness, and true-peak levels, all in accordance with major broadcast standards like ATSC A/85 (CALM Act), ITU BS.1770, and EBU R128. LCAST Stereo offers a user-friendly interface with a prominent history plot that displays loudness measurements over time, acting as a visual timeline for audio analysis. The plugin supports mono and stereo formats, making it suitable for various audio production scenarios. With its ability to target loudness normalization levels for popular streaming platforms like iTunes Radio and Spotify, LCAST Stereo ensures that audio content maintains consistent volume across different playback environments. The plugin’s true-peak metering feature accurately detects inter-sample peaks by quadrupling the signal frequency internally, providing a safeguard against potential clipping that might be missed by conventional peak meters.
Pros:
• Comprehensive loudness metering in accordance with major broadcast standards
• Intuitive history plot for visual analysis of loudness over time
• Accurate true-peak metering for detecting inter-sample peaks
• Support for popular streaming platform loudness targets
• Customizable interface with toggleable measurement displays
Cons:
• Limited to stereo and mono formats, lacking surround sound support
LCAST Stereo boasts an array of features designed to provide users with detailed and accurate loudness information. The plugin’s primary display is the history plot, which offers a visual representation of loudness measurements over time. This feature allows users to easily identify loudness peaks and valleys within their audio content, making it invaluable for spotting inconsistencies in volume levels across a program or album.
The plugin provides measurements for integrated loudness, which quantifies the overall loudness of an entire program. This is particularly useful for meeting specific loudness requirements set by broadcasters or streaming platforms. The loudness range measurement gives users an indication of the variation present in the integrated loudness, helping to determine whether dynamic compression might be necessary.
LCAST Stereo also measures maximum momentary loudness, which is crucial for limiting loudness peaks in short programs. This feature is especially useful for content creators working on commercials or short-form content where sudden volume spikes can be particularly jarring.
The true-peak metering functionality sets LCAST Stereo apart from many other loudness meters. By internally quadrupling the signal frequency and interpolating between audio samples, the plugin can accurately detect inter-sample peaks that might otherwise go unnoticed. This level of precision helps prevent potential clipping and distortion in the final output.
Users can customize the plugin’s interface by toggling different measurements on and off, allowing them to focus on the most relevant data for their specific needs. The plugin also includes presets for popular loudness standards, making it easy to switch between different requirements for various delivery platforms.
LCAST Stereo supports offline processing in DAWs that offer this functionality, enabling quick calculations of integrated loudness, loudness range, and other measurements for long-form content such as films, albums, and TV shows. This feature significantly speeds up the workflow for post-production and mastering professionals.
The plugin’s ability to target loudness normalization levels for streaming platforms like iTunes Radio and Spotify is particularly valuable in today’s digital music landscape. This feature ensures that music will sound consistent when played alongside tracks from other artists, regardless of the original mastering level.
LCAST Stereo offers compatibility with a wide range of digital audio workstations, including Logic, Final Cut Pro X, Soundtrack Pro, Cubase, Nuendo, and Reaper, among others. This broad compatibility ensures that professionals can integrate the plugin seamlessly into their existing workflows, regardless of their preferred software environment.
When compared to similar plugins, LCAST Stereo holds its own in terms of functionality and accuracy. Its closest competitors include the Waves WLM Plus Loudness Meter and the iZotope Insight 2. While the Waves WLM Plus offers a more extensive feature set, including surround sound support and a radar loudness display, it comes at a higher price point. iZotope Insight 2 provides a broader range of metering tools beyond just loudness, but it may be overkill for users specifically focused on loudness metering. LCAST Stereo distinguishes itself with its intuitive interface and history plot feature, which some users may find more visually appealing and easier to interpret than the displays offered by its competitors. However, it lacks some advanced features found in higher-end alternatives, such as surround sound support or additional metering tools beyond loudness. In terms of pricing, LCAST Stereo sits in the mid-range, offering a good balance of features and affordability. While it may be more expensive than some basic loudness metering plugins, it provides professional-grade functionality at a more accessible price point than some of the most comprehensive metering suites on the market.
This plugin is best for:
• Broadcast professionals needing to meet specific loudness standards
• Music producers and mastering engineers targeting streaming platform loudness levels
• Content creators working on short-form audio requiring precise loudness control
• Post-production professionals handling long-form content like films and TV shows
• Audio engineers seeking an intuitive and visually informative loudness metering solution
MeterPlugs LCAST Stereo is a robust and reliable loudness metering plugin that offers professional-grade functionality in an accessible package. Its adherence to major broadcast standards, coupled with its ability to target streaming platform loudness levels, makes it a versatile tool for a wide range of audio professionals. The history plot feature provides a unique and intuitive way to visualize loudness over time, setting it apart from many competitors. While it may lack some advanced features found in more expensive alternatives, such as surround sound support, LCAST Stereo excels in its core functionality of accurate loudness and true-peak metering. The plugin’s user-friendly interface and customizable display options make it suitable for both experienced professionals and those new to loudness metering. Despite its higher price point compared to some basic loudness meters, LCAST Stereo offers value through its comprehensive feature set and reliability. For audio professionals working in broadcast, streaming, or any field where consistent loudness is crucial, LCAST Stereo proves to be a worthy investment, providing the tools necessary to meet industry standards and deliver high-quality audio content.