DK's MSD100C Tackles Loudness

In its continuing crusade against annoyingly loud commercials and in response to requests from key broadcasters and production houses, including Sky, ITV, the BBC and RAI in Italy, DK-Technologies is launching the MSD100C Loudness, which is designed to tackle the issue of the perceived loudness of audio signals.

The MSD100C Loudness is a standalone unit that incorporates ITU Recommendations BS.1770 and BS.1771, which specify the algorithms that should be used to measure audio program loudness. It can display the loudness of the individual audio channels, as well as the sum of the left and right signals, and can be used in any broadcast or post-production facility as a health check during production or prior to transmission.

"There are many applications where it is necessary to measure and control the perceived loudness of audio signals", said Thomas Hansen, DK technical director. "Examples of this include television and radio broadcast applications, where the nature and content of the program material changes frequently. In these applications the audio content can continually switch between music, speech, and sound effects".

The algorithm incorporated by the MSD100C is based on an extension of the Leq(RLB) algorithm to cover stereo and monophonic audio signals. The actual unit provides accurate loudness matching of audio from a number of different sources and offers a selection of working modes, including Fast mode for real-time viewing of loudness, Integrated mode for measuring the loudness of a recorded section or the complete recording and gated mode for viewing loudness of audio material with long pauses (golf tournaments, for example).

With selectable digital and analogue stereo inputs, the MSD100C Loudness displays left and right channel loudness as well as the summed loudness. It also delivers the information as a numeric readout. The meter uses the Loudness Units (LU) scale, covering a range from -18db to +9dB. It also features an audio vector oscilloscope, phase correlation meter displays, a full VGA colour display and VGA output for external display.