The new RTW Speech Intelligibility Meter helps broadcast and professional audio engineers identify and address issues in film, television, streaming, and live production. Whether it is unclear dialogue in a drama series, competing background music in reality TV, or crowd noise overwhelming commentators in a sports broadcast, the RTW Speech Intelligibility Meter offers an intelligent, AI-powered solution for identifying speech intelligibility challenges in any production environment.
Developed in close cooperation with Fraunhofer IDMT in Oldenburg, the meter uses objective, AI-based speech intelligibility to deliver an easy-to-interpret measurement of how clearly spoken content is perceived. This empowers engineers to quickly balance dialogue, effects, and music, keeping dialogue intelligible while also improving the listening experience for audiences.
“At RTW we have a long tradition of making complex audio measurements accessible and useful to working engineers,” says Thomas Valter, Director of Product Management & Marketing, RTW. “With the Speech Intelligibility Meter, powered by Fraunhofer IDMT’s AI technology, we give broadcasters and post-production professionals an objective tool to ensure dialogue always remains clear and engaging - eliminating the guesswork from critical mixing decisions.”
“Fraunhofer IDMT is committed to developing practical technologies that solve real-world challenges,” adds Jan Rennies-Hochmuth, Group Leader for Personal Hearing Systems at the Branch for Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology at Fraunhofer IDMT. “Through our partnership with RTW, this innovation now reaches audio engineers worldwide as a trusted, easy-to-use tool.”
The Speech Intelligibility Meter will be available as a software license option for TMxCore. This advanced metering platform, based on RTW's trusted TouchMonitor TM7/TM9 technology, combines proven measurement accuracy with powerful processing resources, and is designed to evolve and support evolving workflows in broadcast, post-production, and immersive audio.
“With TMxCore, we’re giving our customers the tools and adaptability they need to handle complex workflows - from immersive formats to AI-driven speech intelligibility analysis. It’s a robust evolution of our metering technology and a clear step towards the future,” says Andreas Tweitmann, CEO.
Unlike traditional integrated meters with built-in screens, TMxCore is a standalone “box” designed to connect to any external display via DisplayPort - or over a local network in any type of network browser. This gives users complete freedom to choose screen size, resolution, and placement, whether integrated into a broadcast console, mounted in a machine room, or connected to large wall displays. Without the constraints of a fixed front panel, TMxCore can be installed in tight spaces, and be upgraded more flexibly over time.
TMxCore is purpose-built for demanding installations where flexibility, system integration, and processing power matter. It is able to run AI-assisted tools for assistance with stereo, surround and immersive formats including 5.1, 7.1.4, 9.1.6 and 22.2, being fully compliant with RTW’s suite of loudness and metering instruments. Shipping with standard AES and analog audio inputs, TMxCore also supports Ravenna, AES67, ST2110, and Dante network options.
New RTW Network Display
Also unveiled at IBC 2025, the new Network Display feature for RTW’s TouchMonitor 5 and TouchControl 5 platforms, allows users to display metering or monitoring in a standard web browser, completely independent of the device’s on-screen content. This way, engineers, mixers, and operators can view real-time audio measurements remotely within the local network, effectively adding the functionality of an entirely new product without additional hardware. Whether monitoring from a control room, a production suite, or across multiple workstations, Network Display delivers unmatched flexibility and workflow efficiency.
RTW has been at the forefront of audio metering and monitoring for over 60 years, trusted by broadcasters, post-production studios, and audio professionals worldwide. The company was founded in 1965 by Rudolf Twelker, then performing repairs of radio and television devices and building antennas in Cologne, Germany. It also served as an authorized repair shop for Revox reel-to-reel tape decks.
www.rtw.com
