Introduction
The SM VU is a small, stylish, no-frills VU meter for recording, mixing and mastering that works in stereo or mono.
Prerequisites
The SM VU is available for Windows 10/11 and macOS (Monterey 12.6.3 and upwards).
The plugin is in VST3 (Windows/macOS) and AU (macOS) formats and should be usable in any DAW compatible with those plugin formats. Make sure to try the demo in your own setup before purchasing a license.
Installation
Close your DAW software, run the installer by double clicking the installer file in Explorer (Win) or Finder (Mac), and follow the instructions.
Using the SM VU
There are only two settings in the SM VU – the 0 VU reference level and the preferred layout. Open the settings by clicking anywhere on one of the meters.
Setting the 0 VU level
The 0 VU reference level determines the signal strength at which the meter displays 0 VU. The reference level of a VU meter is only (sort-of) standardized in the analog world, and we need to decide where we want the 0 VU level to be in the digital domain.
Examples of settings
| -18 dBFS | Perfect for recording and mixing in most genres. It also works well when mastering classical or other dynamic music. Keeping average levels around -18 dBFS preserves plenty of headroom for peaks, helping you avoid clipping. This level is also a great starting point when using analog-style plugins, which are often calibrated to a nominal level at approximately -18 dBFS. |
| -14 dBFS | Suitable for mastering modern music at conservative loudness levels. Masters that average around 0 VU at this setting will generally be quieter than mainstream commercial releases, but may work well for streaming platforms that apply loudness normalization. Note: A VU meter is not the same as a LUFS meter. If you’re aiming for a specific loudness target, use a loudness meter alongside the SM VU to check actual LUFS values. |
| -10 dBFS | Suitable for mastering at “hot” levels. A loud, reasonably competitive master will often swing into the reds at this setting. |
| -8 dBFS | Perfect for mastering like it’s 2005 and you want to squeeze every last bit of dynamics out of the mix. Most of the infamous records that turn up in discussions about the loudness war will hover in the reds at this setting. If you are into competitive mastering, dynamics be damned, then this setting will give you clear-cut goals to achieve. |
Changing the layout
The SM VU plugin has two different layouts, horizontal and vertical. The layout setting will not have any effect when the plugin is used as a mono plugin.
 |  |  |
| Horizontal layout, stereo | Vertical layout, stereo | Mono |
Where to place the SM VU plugin
The SM VU can be inserted anywhere you want to measure the level using a VU meter. It always lets the audio signal pass through without any changes.