Loud, clear and compliant: how NUGEN Audio helps you deliver perfect content
by Diogo C
12th February 2025
Sponsored by NUGEN Audio
Ok, so after many hours of composing, recording and editing, you finally finished mixing and now it’s time to enter the very last stage of your production: master and deliver your content. This stage can be a daunting task to deal with: regardless of if you’re working with music, film or games and constantly delivering content for streaming or broadcast, you’ll always have to deal with multiple standards, each one with its set of rules. If that wasn't enough, formats are changing all the time and there’s now an increasing demand for multiple format delivery. More often than not we have to play catch-up in order to be on top of all these demands.
In this article we’ll explore how NUGEN Audio offers a number of solutions to help you properly prepare your deliverables and deal with all these situations without frustration. We'll also offer an overview of NUGEN’s formidable loudness measurements and loudness setting tools, which will help to bridge the gap between your productions and the finished products.
What you see is what you get
“Use your ears” is certainly one of the best pieces of advice you’ll ever read on Gearspace and it’s a mantra we live by. But when it comes to staying in compliance with industry standards you’ll definitely have to use your eyes as well - and having a set of metering tools that you can trust is paramount for delivering your content in a way that’s fully accepted by the final destination, be that a streaming service, mastering or TV/radio broadcast stations.
Let’s begin with the frequency spectrum with NUGEN’s Visualizer, a highly capable real-time stereo frequency analyzer that can run either as a standalone application or as a plug-in for our DAWs and video editing software. Visualizer allows users to quickly access all critical information concerning the frequency domain, stereo field and the basics of volume levels - all within a single window, which can be freely resized to accommodate your workspace and screen resolution.
Here we have a wide range of measurement tools: a spectrum analyzer, a spectrogram, two vectorscopes (Lissajous/Polar), two correlation meters (stereo/frequency) and a volume meter. Users can set their desired FFT option (Rectangle, Hamming, Hann, Blackman, Blackman-Harris), FFT window size from 256 to 2048 with options for “Detail” (4096/8192) and Time Average (from 16384 to 131072), audio weighting (None, A, B, C, D standard or equal loudness), RMS window size (from 16 to 16384), “Number to Clip” (for determining how overloads are detected) and Animation Speed (OFF, Fast, Slow). A comparison mode is also available, which allows us to compare the incoming audio signal with a secondary source, something that’s highly useful when mastering with a reference track and also extremely helpful when matching tonal balance between tracks.
Visualizer offers many customizations options, and each of its tools can be added, removed or placed into focus when critical analysis is needed, so we can see exactly where and when undesired events occur. The display colors can also be freely adjusted to meet the user’s needs, and lastly, Visualizer comes with 13 presets that quickly loads select analysis tools and corresponding settings to cover common use scenarios.
Once we are done with frequency-analyzing and tonal-balancing, it’s time to check levels. Starting with VisLM, as it allows users to measure not only the overall loudness but also allows them to accurately pinpoint in time the events that are affecting such measurement.
VisLM is your best friend for true-peak metering and for momentary, short-term and integrated loudness measurements, with an advanced “ReMEM” automated loudness memory technology that can store up to 24 hours of loudness data, which greatly accelerates workflow by eliminating the need for constant re-measurements of your program material. Everything is tightly integrated to your DAW or video editing software through time code, and minor edits or overdubs are taken into account and automatically updated. Besides running as a plug-in and as a standalone app, VisLM can also be used as an AudioSuite for offline measurement, which is another workflow speedbooster as it allows files to be quickly analyzed and mapped without having to listen to the entire program.
True-peak measurement is made in accordance to the ITU-R BS.1770 standard with inter-sample peak detection and time code logging, so you can easily check when they occur to avoid unwanted distortions and most importantly, ensure your content is free of violations and won’t get rejected down the line. ViSLM also offers 24 presets for most common uses, including settings for measuring with various EBU128 and LUFS options, LKFS, Netflix Stereo/Surround, Amazon Studios and other international standards.
Besides the 2.0 stereo operation, VisLM includes multichannel support up to 7.1.4 for basically all immersive formats and it is also compatible with PlayStation and Xbox One, making it an ideal solution for any audio production scenario, from music to film to video games.
MasterCheck
Wrapping up our analysis section is MasterCheck, a nifty plug-in that comes with quite literally everything we need to measure levels in accordance with current standards, and most importantly, it allows us to monitor our content as it will be played on the major streaming platforms. MasterCheck offers not only a number of options for level metering, but most importantly, it comes packed with various codecs for previewing how our content will sound on Spotify, Apple Music (AAC), Tidal, YouTube, SoundCloud and others. It also offers codecs for previewing for TV and radio broadcasts, so all bases are covered here, and up to five can be simultaneously loaded for quick comparisons.
Making it loud, but also crystal clear
Parallel to signal analysis is signal processing, so now we’ll have a look at what NUGEN has to offer to deal with the de-facto loudness of our content: the ISLst is a true-peak stereo limiter plug-in - we should also mention that a multichannel version (ISL, but without the "st") is also available for this plug-in, which is an excellent choice of limiter for those working in immersive formats, so the following information applies to both of them.
ISLst uses a “Look Ahead” technique to internally preview the incoming signal and preemptively act in order to minimize the inevitable distortions that are associated with the limiting process. ISLst's Look Ahead can be set up to 2.00ms, with the release timing ranging from 1ms to 5 seconds, and it can also be set to auto mode. A channel link function is available, so we can set the limiting process to work in stereo, dual-mono or anything in between. It also features a handy “Difference” listening mode that allows us to monitor the gain reduction, which is useful for fine-tuning the limiter’s threshold. Lastly, it packs a fully-featured dither for situations where bit-depth conversion is required.
By now you’re probably thinking that ISLst will make your tracks loud but also crystal clear, which it does, but it’s worth taking a step back to think about what loudness means in 2025, with the larger context of streaming platforms looming on the horizon. The loudness normalization processes implemented by most (if not all) streaming platforms has largely mitigated the effects of the loudness war that raged through the 1990s and 2000s: nowadays it’s not about “winning” the war, and even though some musical genres will push for every inch of volume power they can get, it’s more of an aesthetic choice rather than a mandatory step towards standing out in the crowd.
It’s worth checking out what the biggest music streaming service has to say on the matter - here’s a quote from Spotify’s Loudness normalization article:
We adjust tracks to -14 dB LUFS, according to the ITU 1770 (International Telecommunication Union) standard. We normalize an entire album at the same time, so gain compensation doesn’t change between tracks. This means the softer tracks are as soft as you intend them to be.
They also provide some valuable tips for mastering your music:
Loudness normalization means we don’t always play your track at the level it’s mastered. Target the loudness level of your master at -14dB integrated LUFS and keep it below -1dB TP (True Peak) max. If your master’s louder than -14dB integrated LUFS, make sure it stays below -2dB TP (True Peak) to avoid extra distortion. This is because louder tracks are more susceptible to extra distortion in the transcoding process.
This is where MasterCheck and ISLst meet, and combined they form a powerful combination that offers all we need for getting those levels right: with ISLst, we have the utmost precision when setting our levels, and with MasterCheck we know where to hit.
Shortcut to faster deliverables
LM-Correct
Dealing with multiple files inevitably comes with its own set of complications, especially on projects with a great variety of sources - and more often than not, huge variations in dynamic range. Regardless if we’re on the “output” stage and delivering your mastered content or if we’re in the “input” phase of preparing files for mixing or starting a project, it can be a boring yet crucial process. LM-Correct is an app that greatly helps, allowing for one-click, zero drama true-peak and loudness compliance: simply load a file, LM-Correct will analyze it and provide its loudness data, from there you can tick the dynamics box if limiting is required, set the targets for peak and integrated/max LUFS and it will take care of the rest, outputting a file with the desired loudness parameters. Simple as that!
Check your levels, now!
All NUGEN Audio software and plug-ins are available for both Mac and Windows computers, with support for all popular plug-in formats (AAX, Audio Unit and VST). Authorization can be done either online through iLok (USB dongle or Cloud) or offline through a license code. Each software or plug-in can be authorized on two simultaneous computers. Pricing below in US Dollars (VAT not included):
Fully-functional trials are available for all software and plug-ins, with a duration of 15 days.
Bundle-up for massive discounts
NUGEN’s Loudness Toolkit and Modern Mastering Bundle are both excellent ways to get these amazing tools with substantial discounts:
The Loudness Toolkit comes with the VisLM, ISL, LM-Correct and the DynApt extension, an ideal combo for any situation where delivering content over multiple formats is needed. This bundle is available for $899, which is almost four hundred bucks off the full price!
The Modern Mastering Bundle packs the Visualizer, ISLst and MasterCheck, making it an ideal choice for those working with music and stereo productions in general. It goes for $299, saving you over 50% on the price of the individual plugins.
For more information, please visit NUGEN Audio
Ok, so after many hours of composing, recording and editing, you finally finished mixing and now it’s time to enter the very last stage of your production: master and deliver your content. This stage can be a daunting task to deal with: regardless of if you’re working with music, film or games and constantly delivering content for streaming or broadcast, you’ll always have to deal with multiple standards, each one with its set of rules. If that wasn't enough, formats are changing all the time and there’s now an increasing demand for multiple format delivery. More often than not we have to play catch-up in order to be on top of all these demands.
In this article we’ll explore how NUGEN Audio offers a number of solutions to help you properly prepare your deliverables and deal with all these situations without frustration. We'll also offer an overview of NUGEN’s formidable loudness measurements and loudness setting tools, which will help to bridge the gap between your productions and the finished products.
What you see is what you get
“Use your ears” is certainly one of the best pieces of advice you’ll ever read on Gearspace and it’s a mantra we live by. But when it comes to staying in compliance with industry standards you’ll definitely have to use your eyes as well - and having a set of metering tools that you can trust is paramount for delivering your content in a way that’s fully accepted by the final destination, be that a streaming service, mastering or TV/radio broadcast stations.
Let’s begin with the frequency spectrum with NUGEN’s Visualizer, a highly capable real-time stereo frequency analyzer that can run either as a standalone application or as a plug-in for our DAWs and video editing software. Visualizer allows users to quickly access all critical information concerning the frequency domain, stereo field and the basics of volume levels - all within a single window, which can be freely resized to accommodate your workspace and screen resolution.
Visualizer
Visualizer offers many customizations options, and each of its tools can be added, removed or placed into focus when critical analysis is needed, so we can see exactly where and when undesired events occur. The display colors can also be freely adjusted to meet the user’s needs, and lastly, Visualizer comes with 13 presets that quickly loads select analysis tools and corresponding settings to cover common use scenarios.
Once we are done with frequency-analyzing and tonal-balancing, it’s time to check levels. Starting with VisLM, as it allows users to measure not only the overall loudness but also allows them to accurately pinpoint in time the events that are affecting such measurement.
VisLM
True-peak measurement is made in accordance to the ITU-R BS.1770 standard with inter-sample peak detection and time code logging, so you can easily check when they occur to avoid unwanted distortions and most importantly, ensure your content is free of violations and won’t get rejected down the line. ViSLM also offers 24 presets for most common uses, including settings for measuring with various EBU128 and LUFS options, LKFS, Netflix Stereo/Surround, Amazon Studios and other international standards.
Besides the 2.0 stereo operation, VisLM includes multichannel support up to 7.1.4 for basically all immersive formats and it is also compatible with PlayStation and Xbox One, making it an ideal solution for any audio production scenario, from music to film to video games.
MasterCheck
Making it loud, but also crystal clear
Parallel to signal analysis is signal processing, so now we’ll have a look at what NUGEN has to offer to deal with the de-facto loudness of our content: the ISLst is a true-peak stereo limiter plug-in - we should also mention that a multichannel version (ISL, but without the "st") is also available for this plug-in, which is an excellent choice of limiter for those working in immersive formats, so the following information applies to both of them.
ISLst
By now you’re probably thinking that ISLst will make your tracks loud but also crystal clear, which it does, but it’s worth taking a step back to think about what loudness means in 2025, with the larger context of streaming platforms looming on the horizon. The loudness normalization processes implemented by most (if not all) streaming platforms has largely mitigated the effects of the loudness war that raged through the 1990s and 2000s: nowadays it’s not about “winning” the war, and even though some musical genres will push for every inch of volume power they can get, it’s more of an aesthetic choice rather than a mandatory step towards standing out in the crowd.
It’s worth checking out what the biggest music streaming service has to say on the matter - here’s a quote from Spotify’s Loudness normalization article:
We adjust tracks to -14 dB LUFS, according to the ITU 1770 (International Telecommunication Union) standard. We normalize an entire album at the same time, so gain compensation doesn’t change between tracks. This means the softer tracks are as soft as you intend them to be.
They also provide some valuable tips for mastering your music:
Loudness normalization means we don’t always play your track at the level it’s mastered. Target the loudness level of your master at -14dB integrated LUFS and keep it below -1dB TP (True Peak) max. If your master’s louder than -14dB integrated LUFS, make sure it stays below -2dB TP (True Peak) to avoid extra distortion. This is because louder tracks are more susceptible to extra distortion in the transcoding process.
This is where MasterCheck and ISLst meet, and combined they form a powerful combination that offers all we need for getting those levels right: with ISLst, we have the utmost precision when setting our levels, and with MasterCheck we know where to hit.
Shortcut to faster deliverables
LM-Correct
Check your levels, now!
All NUGEN Audio software and plug-ins are available for both Mac and Windows computers, with support for all popular plug-in formats (AAX, Audio Unit and VST). Authorization can be done either online through iLok (USB dongle or Cloud) or offline through a license code. Each software or plug-in can be authorized on two simultaneous computers. Pricing below in US Dollars (VAT not included):
- Visualizer: $199
- VisLM: $449
- MasterCheck: $199
- ISLst: $249
- LM-Correct: $399
Fully-functional trials are available for all software and plug-ins, with a duration of 15 days.
Right now you can also get a $100 Voucher and a free plug-in by filling out NUGEN’s Annual Survey, but hurry up as it only goes until March 6th 2025, so click here to fill the survey!
NUGEN’s Loudness Toolkit and Modern Mastering Bundle are both excellent ways to get these amazing tools with substantial discounts:
The Loudness Toolkit comes with the VisLM, ISL, LM-Correct and the DynApt extension, an ideal combo for any situation where delivering content over multiple formats is needed. This bundle is available for $899, which is almost four hundred bucks off the full price!
The Modern Mastering Bundle packs the Visualizer, ISLst and MasterCheck, making it an ideal choice for those working with music and stereo productions in general. It goes for $299, saving you over 50% on the price of the individual plugins.
For more information, please visit NUGEN Audio
