Loudness targets: LUFS for streaming, broadcast and podcasts
Pick where it's going, enter what your meter reads, and see how far off you are.
The targets
| Destination | Integrated | True peak max | What happens |
|---|
Platforms change these from time to time. Check the platform's current delivery spec for anything contractual.
How it works
Integrated loudness (LUFS, the same unit as LKFS) is the average loudness of the whole program, measured with the ITU-R BS.1770 method, which weights the frequencies roughly the way ears do and ignores silence. Turning the whole mix up or down by X dB moves the integrated loudness by X LU, and the true peak by X dB.
new true peak = measured true peak + gain change
If the new true peak lands above the ceiling, a plain gain change won't do. You need a true-peak limiter, or less level.
Field notes
- Streaming services mostly turn loud tracks down. Spotify and YouTube lower anything above −14 LUFS. Spotify can also turn quieter tracks up, but only as far as the true-peak headroom allows. Mastering much louder than the target just gets turned down, with less dynamics left.
- Broadcast specs are rules, not suggestions. EBU R128 and ATSC A/85 deliveries get measured and can be rejected. Build to the spec and leave the tolerance as your safety margin, not your target.
- Livestreams: aiming around −14 LUFS with peaks under −1 dBTP keeps a church or event stream level with the music and videos around it on YouTube and Facebook.
- Measure the whole program. Integrated loudness only means something over the full piece. A 30-second loud section can read very differently from the whole show. Short-term (3 s) and momentary (400 ms) readings are for mixing as you go.
- True peak ≠ sample peak. A file can read −0.1 dBFS on a sample meter and still go over 0 after conversion or lossy encoding. Leave the extra decibel.
FAQ
Is LUFS the same as LKFS?
Yes. Same measurement, two names: LUFS in EBU documents, LKFS in ATSC and ITU documents.
Should my mono podcast be −16 or −19?
A mono file played on both speakers sounds about 3 dB louder than its meter reading suggests, so mono podcasts are usually delivered around −19 LUFS and stereo around −16.