ADPTR Metric AB

ADPTR Metric AB is the industry-standard reference track plugin — the tool that lets you drag in commercial releases and instantly compare them to your mix with level-matched A/B switching. Designed by producer Marc Adamo in conjunction with Plugin Alliance, it takes the guesswork out of mixing and mastering by giving you objective visual and auditory feedback against the tracks you are trying to compete with.

Reference Track Workflow

The core of Metric AB is simple: drag and drop up to 16 reference tracks directly into the plugin. It accepts WAV, AIFF, FLAC, M4A, and MP3 files. Hit the A/B button to switch instantly between your mix and any loaded reference. Four loudness-matching modes automatically level-match your mix against every reference at once, eliminating the bias where louder always sounds better. Cue markers let you sync reference playback to specific song sections — verse, chorus, drop — so you are always comparing like for like.

Analysis and Metering

Metric AB provides a suite of analysis tools: spectrum analyzer (with plot, octave, 1/3 octave, critical band, and multi views), correlation meter, stereo image display, dynamics meter, and LUFS loudness metering. You can view the A stream (your mix) and B stream (reference) individually, side by side, or layered on top of each other to pinpoint exactly where your mix differs — whether that is low-end weight, midrange presence, stereo width, or overall loudness.

Integration

Metric AB syncs reference track playback to your DAW transport, so references follow your session position. The resizable UI scales to fit any screen setup. MIDI parameter control is available for hands-on switching. The plugin runs with minimal CPU overhead and works reliably across all major DAWs.

Who Is This For?

• Mixing engineers who want to objectively compare their mix against commercial references
• Mastering engineers evaluating subtle processing changes with precise LUFS metering
• Producers developing their ear by studying how professional mixes are balanced
• Home studio owners who want a reality check against polished releases
• Anyone serious about mixing who wants to stop guessing and start measuring

Metric AB is one of those plugins that changes how you work. Once you get used to having instant, level-matched reference comparisons, mixing without it feels like working blind.