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Audio Dynamic Range Meter

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

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

Idle — press Start.

Dynamic range

RANGEdB
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 difference in dB. 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 squashes the range. But it’s in relative dBFS from an uncalibrated mic that also hears the room, so the absolute numbers aren’t a 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 response — useful and intuitive, but a different thing from a file-based DR number.

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.