On September 29th 2011, the auditorium at Estudio Urbano, in Buenos Aires, was chosen for the start of the "Second Series of Open Conferences in Estudio Urbano; Audio & Acoustics", organized once again by AES Argentina.
This Series consist of a total of ten Seminars from different keynote speakers, each specialized in diverse areas of audio and acoustics, and taking place every Thursday from September 29th until December 1st.
On November 24th, AES Argentina Chairman Indio Gauvron presented "When Recording, Do You Use Peak Meters, Vumeters, Or Audiorhythmic Lights?
The seminar covered various approaches for audio metering, starting with a historical introduction on the technology program peak meters and volume units indicator (PPM and VU), created out of need in 1921, up until the advent of loudness meters created later by CBS. With their different technical characteristics, these were defined by the use of broadcasting studios and radio stations - defining velocity deflection, damping, visual particularity, scales, calibration, correction, tolerances — giving birth to light bars and calibration systems and settling the differences between normal and true PPM. A review of some incompatibilities in specific standards of audio and later mutations throughout history were addressed. Finally, emphasis was given on demonstrating the inconsistent use of meters in an audio chain - electronic and acoustic - that is not properly calibrated, from where the ironic "audiorhythmic lights" title comes from.
