ART Pro Audio TPS II - Tube Preamplifier System - Manual (Page 9)

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This means that it is now quicker and easier than ever to make great
recordings! Musicians want to play, not spend hours adjusting knobs.
No other microphone preamp is as user-friendly as the TPS II
.
LED INPUT METER
The Input Meter displays the level before the tube gain circuit. This
peak-weighted meter allows you to get the best performance out of the
unit and prevent input clipping.
The signal level should average –6 to 0 dB on the meter, occasionally
hitting the clip light on the highest peaks. When the meter is in this
range, you are getting the lowest noise and distortion out of the pre-
amp stage.
Adjust the Input control to keep the meter in this range. The +20dB
switch does not affect the meter, as the switch is part of the tube gain
stage.
VU METER
The VU Meter gives an analog representation of the TPS II  tube
output signal level. Besides showing the average analog level, it is
sensitive to attack transients. When not using OPL
, the VU Meter is
a great indicator of how hard you are running the tube. It also helps in
setting a consistent level as you change mics and instrument sources.
The VU Meter also reflects the impact of the OPL
 circuitry on the
signal. For example, if the signal is “in the red” on the meter, the meter
will reflect the attenuation of the signal when the OPL
 is activated,
and the signal is brought out of the “red”.