Side by side
Metering Cockpit vs Sonic Visualiser
Both stand on audio analysis software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan MacWindows
Choose Metering Cockpit if you need a free mixing or mastering meter with a detailed analyzer and reference monitoring. Look elsewhere if your reference files need to exceed ten minutes or your host does not load VST3 or AU.
Visit Metering Cockpit Free plan LinuxMacWindows
Choose Sonic Visualiser for free offline inspection and annotation of music recordings, especially when its waveform, spectrum, and spectrogram views suit the work. Look elsewhere if you need bundled plugins or support for VST, AudioUnit, or LV2.
Visit Sonic VisualiserThe facts
| Metering Cockpit | Sonic Visualiser | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Mac, Windows | Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | jeesonic.de | sonicvisualiser.org |
| On audio analysis software | #9 of 43 | #13 of 43 |
Metering Cockpit: what it does well
- Displays loudness, peak level, dynamics, spectrum, and stereo correlation.
- Measures loudness to BS.1770-4 and loudness range to EBU R128.
- Analyzer spans fractional-octave views from 1/1 to 1/24 octave.
- Adds no latency and leaves audio unchanged in normal monitoring.
- Free for private and commercial use without registration or time limit.
What to know first
- Reference files are limited to ten minutes.
- Windows supports VST3; AU is available only on macOS.
- Requires macOS 11 or newer or 64-bit Windows 10 or newer.
Sonic Visualiser: what it does well
- Free, open-source application under GNU GPL v2 or later.
- Displays waveforms, spectra, and spectrograms.
- Supports labelled points, segments, values, and curves.
- Can import text annotations and MIDI note data.
- Exports audio regions and annotation layers.
What to know first
- No plugins are included with the application.
- VST, AudioUnit, and LV2 plugin formats are unsupported.
- MP4/AAC and WMA support varies by platform.
Alternatives to Metering Cockpit Alternatives to Sonic Visualiser The whole list