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Audio Dynamic Range Meter

This dynamic range meter shows the live spread between the loudest and quietest passages your microphone captures, in dB — the macro dynamics of a performance, room or recording.

ℹ Relative dBFS, not a mastering "DR/DR14" figure. This is the range of levels captured over time (loudest RMS minus quietest RMS above the noise gate). It includes room noise and depends on your uncalibrated mic — it is not the album DR rating or a calibrated spec. Nothing is recorded or uploaded.

Microphone

Input device

Idle — press Start.

Dynamic range

RANGE—dB

Current — dBFS

-60-45-30-150

Loudest

—

Quietest

—

Elapsed

0:00

Quietest is the lowest level above a −55 dBFS noise gate, so silence between sounds isn’t counted — in a noisy room the quietest may sit near that gate.

What This Measures

Dynamic range here is the gap between the loudest and quietest moments captured since you pressed Start. The meter smooths the microphone’s RMS level, tracks the maximum (loudest passage) and the minimum above a noise gate (quietest real passage, so dead silence doesn’t count), and shows the dB range — the difference in decibels that defines the breadth of your audio dynamics. A whispered-to-shouted voice might span 30–40 dB; a steady tone barely moves.

It’s a great way to compare how dynamic two sources or rooms are, or to see how much a compressor or limiter squashes the range. A heavily compressed source might register only 6–10 dB of spread, while an unprocessed acoustic instrument in a quiet room can easily exceed 40 dB. Press Reset between each source to get a clean reading. You can also use it alongside the LUFS meter to understand both the range and the perceived integrated loudness of a performance. But remember the readings are in relative dBFS from an uncalibrated mic that also hears the room, so the absolute numbers aren’t a mastering spec.

Why it isn’t a "DR rating"

Album "DR" values (like the DR meter / DR14 used in mastering) are computed from the audio file with a defined algorithm (peak vs RMS statistics per channel). This tool measures a live microphone’s level spread over time, which includes your room’s noise floor and the mic’s frequency response — useful and intuitive for quickly gauging macro dynamics, but a different thing from a file-based DR number. To measure the actual peak and instantaneous levels of a live signal, try the Peak / Level Analyzer, which shows crest factor and headroom in real time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the range number mean?

It’s loudest minus quietest, in dB — how much the level varied between the strongest and weakest passages captured since you started (with very quiet/silent moments excluded by a noise gate).

Why is there a noise gate?

Without one, the "quietest" would just lock onto silence between sounds and the range would be meaningless. The gate ignores anything below a low threshold so the quietest figure reflects an actual quiet passage, not a gap.

Is this the same as crest factor?

No. Crest factor (see the Peak / Level Analyzer) is peak vs RMS in one instant — micro-dynamics. This is loudest-passage vs quietest-passage over time — macro-dynamics.

Can I get an album’s DR14 value with this?

No — that’s a file-based mastering metric with a specific algorithm. This is a live mic meter of level spread, which includes room noise and isn’t calibrated. Use it for relative comparisons, not a DR rating.

Is my audio recorded?

No. The signal is analyzed in real time to track levels and is never recorded, saved, or transmitted. The microphone is released when you press Stop or close the tab.

What is a "good" dynamic range value for music or voice?

There’s no universal target — it depends on the material and context. A natural, uncompressed classical or acoustic performance often spans 30–50 dB. Broadcast voice is typically processed to sit within 10–15 dB so it stays intelligible without volume adjustment. Heavily limited pop masters may show only 4–8 dB. Use this meter to understand the range of your specific source, not to hit a number.

Can I use this to check how much my compressor is reducing dynamic range?

Yes — as a relative comparison. Run the uncompressed source first, note the range, then hit Reset and run the same source through the compressor. The difference between the two readings gives a practical sense of gain reduction in dB. This won’t replace a proper gain-reduction meter in your DAW, but it’s a quick acoustic sanity check in any room.

Why does my dynamic range reading change depending on how loud the room is?

Room noise raises the effective noise floor and can push the “quietest” reading up (the noise gate helps, but a noisy room will still lift the minimum). In a loud environment the floor is higher, so the measured range can look narrower than in a quiet space. For the most reliable comparison between two sources, keep the room noise consistent between measurements.

How is this different from a loudness range (LRA) measurement?

Loudness Range (LRA) is an EBU R 128 / ITU-R BS.1770 statistic calculated from gated loudness measurements across a file and reported in LU. It uses a specific algorithm that excludes the bottom 10% of loud segments. This meter simply subtracts the smoothed RMS floor from the RMS peak over time — it’s faster to grasp but not equivalent to LRA. For integrated loudness and LRA, pair this with the LUFS meter.

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