Orban Loudness Meter review
A focused meter for live loudness checks and offline audio or video-file analysis.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
For broadcast and audio workflows that need loudness checks, Orban Loudness Meter is a free desktop application for Windows and macOS. It monitors incoming audio or player-application output in real time, and it can analyze recorded audio and audio tracks in video files offline at faster than real time. Its focus is measurement rather than correction: Orban describes it as a metering utility, not an automatic loudness-control product. That makes it a fit for solo users and small teams checking levels, rather than anyone looking for a wider room-measurement or processing suite.
The measurement set covers ITU-R BS.1770 integrated loudness, EBU R 128 loudness range, reconstructed or true peaks, and CBS loudness. It can count peaks above 0 dBFS and graph integrated loudness and CBS loudness peak swings over time; offline analysis also includes a BS.1770 loudness histogram. Support for up to 7.1-channel surround extends the checks to multichannel material. Meter readings can be logged to a comma-delimited text file. These views make the utility useful for examining loudness behavior over a program, but the published feature set centers on loudness rather than broader acoustic measurements.
The main trade-off is that the meter reports measurements without applying loudness correction, so workflows that require automatic adjustment need a different kind of tool. It also has no plugin support, which limits its role inside plugin-based audio workflows. Orban's listed compatibility includes Windows Vista, 7, 8, and 10, and macOS 10.12 or earlier; users should check compatibility with their current systems before relying on it. Choose it for free live and offline loudness analysis, including surround checks; look elsewhere if automatic control or a broader measurement suite is essential.
Orban Loudness Meter pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Monitors incoming audio and player output in real time.
- Analyzes audio and video-file audio offline, faster than real time.
- Measures BS.1770, EBU R 128, reconstructed peaks, and up to 7.1 surround.
- Where it doesn't
- It measures loudness but does not automatically control it.
- It has no plugin support.
- The listed OS compatibility includes older Windows and macOS versions.
Orban Loudness Meter fact sheet, pricing and score →
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