NUGEN Audio VisLM 3 is the new generation of the company’s loudness meter, a fixture in edit suites, control rooms and post-production studios. This update does more than refresh the display: it adds measurements and quality-control tools that answer the growing pile of standards and deliverables a professional has to juggle.
Speech intelligibility measurement enters the meter
The most telling addition is LDR (Loudness to Dialog Ratio) measurement — the ratio between overall program level and dialogue level. It is the indicator the field needed as speech-intelligibility requirements tighten: too much wide-mixed content buries dialogue under effects and music, and broadcasters are starting to set thresholds. Reading that ratio in real time, in the same meter that already shows integrated loudness, changes how you balance a mix bound for air or streaming.
Updated presets and immersive support
VisLM 3 ships updated presets, notably for EBU R128-s4 and ATSC A/85:2026-07 — the two main loudness recommendation families, European and North American, in their recent revisions. Channel support now extends to 9.1.6, covering the height-channel immersive layouts that are now common in broadcast and post. The meter still carries the expected arsenal: momentary and short-term loudness, loudness range (LRA), dialog LRA, True Peak measurement and timecode-locked loudness history.
Quality control and multiple deliverables
The other focus of this version is documented quality control. VisLM 3 adds export of a loudness QC report, a valuable record when a deliverable has to prove it meets a target. It also brings stem monitoring and timestamped note tracking, built for a scenario that is becoming the norm: producing several versions of one mix (broadcast, platform, international) and handing the work to a QC stage without losing track of decisions.
Let us be clear about scope: if you master music and only need integrated loudness and true peak, the meter in your DAW or a free tool will do. VisLM 3 clearly targets those who deliver several versions of a mix, who must document compliance, or who work in immersive — that is where the added features earn their place. For context, our guides to choosing an audio meter and to the broadcast sound chain remain useful.
Price and availability
VisLM 3 is announced at around $499 (£349 / €424) and is available now. Owners of an earlier version have upgrade options through their NUGEN Audio account; the details are on the developer’s official page.
My take
LDR in the meter is the smart move here: the dialogue-to-mix ratio has become a delivery criterion, and reading it in real time saves the back-and-forth on headphones to check the voice cuts through. The exportable compliance report answers a very real chore — proving a deliverable hits its target. That said, this is not a tool for everyone: for a simple integrated-loudness check it is overkill. But for anyone chaining versions and QC passes, it saves time that quickly adds up to hours.
Frequently asked questions
What is LDR measurement?
LDR (Loudness to Dialog Ratio) measures the ratio between a program’s overall level and its dialogue level. It is used to monitor speech intelligibility, a criterion increasingly required by broadcasters.
Which loudness standards does VisLM 3 support?
It offers updated presets for EBU R128-s4 and ATSC A/85:2026-07 — the European and North American recommendations in their recent revisions — alongside the classic loudness and true-peak measurements.
How many channels can VisLM 3 meter?
Support extends to 9.1.6, covering the height-channel immersive layouts used in broadcast and post-production.
What is the QC report for?
It is an exportable document attesting that a deliverable meets a loudness target. It serves as evidence during a quality-control stage or a delivery to a broadcaster.
Do I have to rebuy the plug-in if I own a previous version?
No. NUGEN Audio offers upgrade options for owners of an earlier version, available from the customer account on the developer’s site.
