🎛️ VU Meter Plugin Guide (Free + Paid)

Stop guessing and start metering like a pro. This guide explains how to use VU meters for proper gain staging and mixing balance. Compare top free and premium plugins, learn calibration techniques, and integrate metering into your workflow.

A VU meter (Volume Unit meter) measures average signal level, not just peaks. Unlike peak meters that measure momentary loudness, VU meters track perceived loudness (RMS-style), which is essential for gain staging, vocal balance, compression, and analog-style mixing.

🎧 "Peak shows spikes. VU shows how your track actually feels."