What device is used to monitor audio recording levels and quality?

The VU meter is an essential tool used in audio engineering to monitor recording levels and quality. It visually represents the audio signal levels, which allows sound engineers and operators to ensure that the levels are neither too low—resulting in noise and low fidelity—nor too high, which can lead to distortion and clipping. By keeping an eye on the VU meter during recording, audio professionals can maintain an optimal sound level, making adjustments as necessary to achieve the best audio quality.

While other devices like soundboards, microphones, and audio interfaces play critical roles in audio recording, they do not primarily function to monitor levels. A soundboard is used for mixing and controlling audio signals, a microphone captures sound, and an audio interface acts as a bridge between sound sources and recording systems. None of these directly provide the visual feedback of input levels that a VU meter does, which is why the VU meter is specifically indicated for monitoring audio recording levels and quality.