This is an interesting issue. Here are my thoughts:

The Levelator was designed to perform unique level management in problematic audio files that have apparent wide variations in peak loudness. If you pass a high quality audio file through the Levelator that does not have apparent peak loudness variations, it will serve you well as an RMS Normalizer, and provide consistent results in terms of a resulting reference level. The RMS value will be at or near -18.50 dB RMS consistently. My point is - there will be no guessing in terms of the relationship between selected parameters and results provided that is the common issue at hand when working with Final Plug or something similar.

Final Plug will do a great job with a high quality file that does not contain aggressive variations in loudness. On the other hand - there will be a noticeable difference in the results if you present a problematic example to Final Plug and compare the processed result to the same example processed by the Levelator.

Compressors and limiters are designed to address/correct short term variations in loudness. The Levelator was designed to address medium term variations. It is based on this concept that the end result will vary, and as I stated, it all depends on the condition of the original file.

-ptfigg.

Paul, since the Levelator performs general compression, RMS norm., and peak limiting, do you feel the Levelator replaces Final Plug 5 as a near final step in the audio production chain?

Thanks.

There is extensive discussion at the Levelator Forum:

http://www.gigavox.com/forum/viewforum.php?id=15

I’ll post additional info here as it becomes available. Have you worked with the processor yet?

-ptfigg.