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Loudness & Metering Guide

Loudness Standards

Streaming Services

  • Spotify: -14 LUFS (normalized to -14 LUFS)
  • Apple Music: -16 LUFS (normalized to -16 LUFS)
  • YouTube: -14 LUFS (normalized to -14 LUFS)
  • Tidal: -14 LUFS (normalized to -14 LUFS)
  • Amazon Music: -13 LUFS (normalized to -13 LUFS)

Broadcast & Other

  • CD/Download: -9 to -12 LUFS (industry standard)
  • TV Broadcast: -23 LUFS (EBU R128)
  • Podcasts: -16 to -18 LUFS
  • Vinyl: -10 to -8 LUFS (with special considerations)

Metering & Analysis

LUFS vs. dBFS

  • LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale): Perceived loudness over time
  • dBFS (decibels relative to full scale): Absolute peak level
  • Always leave -1dBTP (True Peak) headroom for lossy encoding

Key Metrics

  • Integrated LUFS: Average loudness of entire track
  • Short-term LUFS: 3-second window
  • Momentary LUFS: 400ms window
  • True Peak: Never exceed -1dBTP

Mixing for Loudness

Frequency Balance

  • High-pass everything that doesn't need low end
  • Control low-mid buildup (200-500Hz)
  • Balance high frequencies for clarity

Dynamic Control

  • Use compression on individual tracks
  • Parallel compression for drums
  • Multiband compression on mix bus

Mastering for Loudness

Mastering Chain

  1. EQ (corrective, then tonal)
  2. Multiband compression (if needed)
  3. Stereo imaging
  4. Limiter (final stage)

Limiter Settings

  • Start with -0.3dB ceiling
  • Aim for 2-4dB of gain reduction
  • Use true peak limiting
  • Check on multiple systems