[linux-audio-user] How to avoid transient peaks? Limiter?

[Joel White]

Timothy A. Gorman wrote:

> INFO from my devout PT using friend.. ..............And useful as 
> hell....
>
> http://duc.digidesign.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Number=892942&page=0&view
>
>

I read through a bit of this and wondered if/how the jack meterbridge 
meters might help show the levels of reconstructed audio.  From the jack 
meterbridge webpage ( http://plugin.org.uk/meterbridge/ ), I read the 
following about the VU meter:

<quote>
The -r flag (set reference level) is usful with these meters as it will 
allow you to calibrate to your DA converters. The meter is pre-adjusted 
so that it should allign correctly calibrated DA converters with 
analogue systems. If you wish to run with 0dBFS = 0dBu then use "-r 20"
</quote>

Am I interpreting this to mean that the VU meter should be able to give 
an estimate of the levels of the reconstructed signal?

I'm using a Delta 1010LT - can anyone point me at info about the DA 
converter calibration procedure, or, better yet, what the "-r" value 
should be for this card out of the box?  I'm just beginning to look into 
this, but tests with a tune I'm mixing shows quite a bit of it is "in 
the red" on the VU meter, even though the digital meters are running 
below 0dBFS.  I want to make sure I'm looking at the right thing, or if 
I am totally off-base.

Thanks!

Joel