Level Meter Response
Level meter response describes whether an audio meter follows average program level, short peaks, or a selectable choice of the two.
VU meters respond relatively slowly and smooth brief changes. Peak meters respond more quickly to short events, although their exact timing depends on the design. Display technology and peak hold are separate properties.
Level Meter Response — Cassette Deck
On a cassette deck, response affects how the meter helps you set recording level. A VU indication can show sustained program level while missing brief peaks that may overload the recording path. Peak metering makes those events easier to see, subject to its stated response and scale.
Compare response with the deck's recording guidance, tape type and calibration. The same music can give different VU and peak readings without either meter being faulty. A warning LED next to a VU meter does not make the main meter switchable. Peak hold means retaining a reading, not changing an average meter into a peak meter.
Level Meter Response — Reel-to-Reel
On a reel-to-reel machine, a VU meter emphasizes sustained level, while a peak program meter or modulometer helps track shorter peaks. A switchable meter lets the operator choose the response used to judge the signal. This can change how much apparent margin remains during dynamic passages.
Compare the response, timing and reference calibration with the recording instructions. Needle meters can be peak-reading, so their appearance does not establish VU behavior. Different peak-meter standards need not capture transients identically. A separate overload lamp and a peak-hold feature provide other information; neither alone confirms that the main meter switches between VU and peak response.