MOTU M1 or ? / Also, best loudness meter?

[Anthropy]

I'm rebuilding my studio around a MacStudio. It's a long jump from my CheeseGrater, and I need a new interface. I'm not a tracking engineer or a mastering engineer, but a composer, so I don't need much in the way of inputs. Just 2 or 4 mic inputs, and a budget around $300, give or take change.
I like the M1, Steinberg UR-RT, UA Volt 276. I like mic jacks on the front.
Any thoughts?

And what do DP folks do for a LUFS loudness meter?

Thanks all,
Robert

[mikehalloran]

I’m using the M•Audio AIR 192|14. 8 Out 4 In over Fast USB 2 (4 Out 8 In analog but who’s doing that?). 4 Mic/line/instrument combi-jacks + 2 DIs + 2 Line Ins + MIDI + 2 independent headphone outs. In/Out Mix/Blend control. Core Audio only (no drivers) on the Mac. $329 at Sweetwater, can be found $300 or a little less if you shop around. Can be found used.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detai ... -interface

Upside for me: Top mounted controls on a desktop style interface (what a concept!) except headphone trim pots on front. Actual DIs with trim pots and both jacks on front. No mixer (typical for all inexpensive interfaces). USB outs are hard panned 1, 3, 5, 7 L; 2, 4, 6, 8 R. You have the option to monitor the Outs Mono or Stereo. Ins from your DAW are always Stereo.

Downside— Combi-jacks and Line Ins are on the back; MIDI is on a dongle–really? 3-segment meters aren’t enough.

I have other interfaces but this one is my day to day. I was hoping that, when MOTU introduced the M6, they would have also introduced an M8 along the lines of the AIR 192|14. Those twin DIs are the feature that sold me.

[HCMarkus]

And what do DP folks do for a LUFS loudness meter?

I use Waves WLM+. Currently $35, Apple Silicon Native.

[mikehalloran]

And what do DP folks do for a LUFS loudness meter?

Insight 2 from iZotope. Bundled with a few products. Not sure I’d pay $199 stand-alone.

Brainworx bx_meter is also good. They claim is costs $99 but I don’t think anyone has paid that ever.

[Rick Cornish]

I like bx_meter from Brainworx @ Plugin-Alliance.com. It does everything I need (A-, C-, or K-weighted, stereo or Mid-Side, Solo, Dynamics, Phase Correlation, etc., etc.) and you can save user setups. I always have it on my mix buss, along with PSP Triple Meter for RMS. (I also keep an analog Dorrough Loudness Meter outboard of my computer as a physical reference. I know, I'm old school.)

bx_meter is listed at $99, but I'm pretty sure I bought it for $9 on a sale or with a voucher. If you get on their list, they do sales pretty often.

https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/prod ... meter.html

[mikehalloran]

I like bx_meter from Brainworx @ Plugin-Alliance.com. It does everything I need (A-, C-, or K-weighted, stereo or Mid-Side, Solo, Dynamics, Phase Correlation, etc., etc.) and you can save user setups. I always have it on my mix buss, along with PSP Triple Meter for RMS. (I also keep an analog Dorrough Loudness Meter outboard of my computer as a physical reference. I know, I'm old school.)

bx_meter is listed at $99, but I'm pretty sure I bought it for $9 on a sale or with a voucher. If you get on their list, they do sales pretty often.

https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/prod ... meter.html

bx_meter is currently on sale for $5.99.
https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/products.html

It's also included in my $99 subscription but I don't use that many of those plug-ins besides bx_limiterTruePeak (on sale for $29.95) so I may spend the $6 now and cancel before renewal.. I did get value out of the Subscription, however—let me check out a bunch of de-esser and other plugs to find out I didn't like any of them without being confined to a 30-day demo.

[tremo]

For strictly LUFS metering, Youlean makes a great one -- free and paid ($39 w/lifetime updates) versions.

https://youlean.co/youlean-loudness-meter/