Cool Plug-in? What do you know about its Level?


It used to be easy. Just make sure the little pointy headed needle thingy didn’t stay stuck too long to the right side of the meter box, (the thingy with the numbers on it). 
We called it a meter card and sticking the needle to the right side of the meter card was called “Smoking the Meters”. A basic slap to the right side of a VU meter whose meter card indicates a maximum of +3 would be a signal strength (basically) around +8 to +10 dBV (in physical life that is 8 to 10 volts rms).

That same signal would be approximately +11 to +13 on an analog PEAK meter. If the tape recorder that signal was sent to is aligned to a reference standard of +3 that signal would then be recorded onto tape at a peak level of +16. That was just a subtle tap to the side of a meter card. The clipping properties of analog tape and electronics was part of the charm of what was called “sock”. Analog tape started clipping around +12/+16 dBV.

Today’s digital systems measure and read dBFS on their meters. It's not uncommon for DAW studio operators to record and deliver product for mix at -1 to 0 dBFS. Why? -20 dBFS is closest related to 0 dBV (which is 1V rms). We used to record “hotter” signals to combat signal-to-noise. Digital audio has no noise. Plug-in's now have GUI knobs labeled “Analog”. It adds hiss and hum to a digital signal path.
Again, 0 dBV is 1V rms. Vintage analog signal processing equipment could only handle only so much voltage at their input stage. Once too much voltage was applied to the input stage those pieces of equipment would break down and start to sound thin and nasty. Just like their closely modeled plug-in counterparts.

If you’re not liking the tonal quality of your plug-in’s ...try lowering the input level to them, making the level up on the plug-in output stage. To be competitive on the web, or in digital life in general, your product will have to be delivered to the accepted standard of -1dBFS. 
You will however need to follow the delivery specifications for levels supplied by the person/company you’re delivering to.

Proper level control begins by knowing where the level is going and what is going to be done with it once it gets there. That question must be answered not only in the final delivery stage, but in the signal processing stage as well.
If you want to really love your processors give them a chance to breath.

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