LUFS – Loudness Units Relative to Full Scale

LUFS (Loudness Units relative to Full Scale) is the standardized unit of measurement for the perceived loudness of an audio signal over its entire duration – and today the reference value to which streaming services automatically normalize the volume. Whether at online mastering for Streaming Services Whether in CD production or elsewhere – LUFS is indispensable in the modern audio world. You can measure the true loudness of your track in seconds with our [product/service name]. Loudness Meter – Integrated LUFS and True Peak directly in the browser.

WHAT IS LUFS?

LUFS stands for “Loudness Units Full Scale” and is a measure of the loudness of audio signals. It was developed to make the loudness of audio files on different platforms comparable and is often used in mastering.

LUFS is expressed in dB (Decibel) and takes into account not only the absolute volume but also the dynamics of the audio signal. This means that LUFS adjusts the loudness of audio files in relation to their dynamics measures, instead of only evaluating them according to their absolute loudness. This can help music play well on different platforms and speaker systems and have proper tonal balance.

What is LU?

LU stands for “Loudness Units” and is a measure of the loudness of audio signals. It was developed to make the loudness of audio files on different platforms comparable and is often used in mastering.

LU is measured in dB (decibels) and takes into account not only the absolute volume but also the dynamics of the audio signal. This means that LU measures the loudness of audio files in terms of their dynamic range, rather than simply evaluating them based on their absolute loudness. This can help music play well on different platforms and speaker systems and have proper tonal balance.

LU is a derived quantity based on the concept of full scale, which refers to the maximum loudness of an audio signal. The term "Loudness Units Full Scale" (LUFS) refers to the loudness in terms of full scale.

LUFS is just one component of loudness optimization in mastering — you will find the complete workflow from headroom to true peak in our Mastering Guide.

What types of loudness measurement are there within LUFS?

Short-term loudness

This is the loudness measured over a short window of 3 seconds.

Momentary loudness

This is the momentary loudness, measured within a window of 400 ms.

Integrated loudness

Integrated Loudness calculates the average loudness over the entire playing time. A "relative gate" is usually used here. This means that signals that are below a certain limit are not used to calculate the average loudness. According to EBU 128, the limit is -23 LUFS, for example.

Volume and loudness

Volume is often confused with loudness. In short, volume is set on your playback device, such as your stereo system or smartphone. There you can adjust the volume. Volume is also a subjective and relative term. Loudness, on the other hand, is a fixed, measurable value that matters not only for the sound of the master but also for Streaming on Spotify, Youtube and Co. Measurement is usually done with a plugin in your DAW. The Youlean plugin is free and easily integrates into any DAW in the studio. That way you can keep the loudness of your mix well under control with the meter.

LUFS – LUFS_METER_PEAK_STUDIOS
LUFS metering in the mastering process at Peak-Studios

All chart measurements, methodology and instructions for the tool: How loud should I master? – The complete guide with loudness target finder

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WHY IS LUFS SO IMPORTANT?

LUFS has become more important than ever. The keyword here is the so-called “Loudness war".

The core of this lies with the Use of digital technology, which first came into use in mastering studios in the 90s.

Classifying loudness in mixing: How LUFS, dynamics and headroom are prepared correctly in the mix is shown in our Mixing Guide as part of the structured overall process.

Back then, so-called “hot masters” were produced as a stylistic choice. The converter so severely impacted that in some cases intended distortion occurred. This also meant that songs were generally perceived as louder. When other productions without “hot mastering” turned out quieter than the distorted ones, the trend increasingly became to match that same loudness in order to stay competitive with the “hot masters”.

As a result, the songs and albums got louder and louder and thus also proved to be more assertive.

The chaos was enormous because there was suddenly no regulation, and the differences between two tracks could be huge.

LUFS is making a decisive U-turn here. By doing Streaming providers or broadcasters specify a loudness value (which is far below the possible maximum), listeners can play songs back to back without having to adjust the volume much. This also removes the competitive pressure to win through loudness. The quickest way to find out whether your own track reaches the target loudness cleanly without losing dynamics is a practical test: with the Test mastering for €10 You master a section with a professional and compare it to your own version. This tends to encourage you to achieve maximum quality within a defined loudness level. mixing to achieve. This benefits the listener and the music.

MORE INFO ABOUT LUFS

ITunes, Youtube, Spotify, Amazon and co. - This is how your song should be!

https://www.peak-studios.de/upload-streaming-dienste/

SPOTIFY DEACTIVATES YOUR LIMITER

https://www.peak-studios.de/spotify-deaktiviert-limiter/

online mastering

https://www.Peak-Studios.de/mastering/online-mastering/

Hitting your LUFS target in practice: How to set your mix to -14 LUFS for Spotify, Apple Music & Co. without loss of dynamics — step by step with reference tracks and True Peak-Check — we'll show you in the 1:1 mixing & mastering coaching.

Frequently asked questions about LUFS

Most streaming services normalize to around -14 LUFS integrated (Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music), Apple Music more towards -16 LUFS; a true peak of around -1 dBTP is usually recommended. A master around -14 LUFS is a good cross-platform guideline that is rarely significantly reduced. What to look out for when... Upload to the streaming services We have summarized the arrival information separately for you.

dBFS measures the pure level relative to the digital full scale – that is, how close a sample is to the maximum (0 dBFS). The loudness measure discussed here, on the other hand, assesses the perceived loudness over time, weighted according to human hearing (K-weighting). Two tracks with the same peak level in dBFS can sound noticeably different in loudness.

Loudness is measured with a Loudness meter that follows the ITU-R BS.1770 standard. There are three measurement windows: Momentary (400 ms), Short-term (3 s) and Integrated (over the entire track) – the Integrated value is the decisive one for streaming targets. Many DAWs already include such a meter.

Then he can use it on many platforms via Loudness normalization It can be played back at a lower volume without improving the sound of your master. Limiting the audio too harshly during mastering tends to result in a loss of dynamics and punch, while the perceived loudness is ultimately adjusted anyway. So, louder isn't automatically better when streaming.

For speech and podcasts, the common target value is around -16 LUFS (stereo) or -19 LUFS (mono); for traditional broadcasting, there are separate standards such as EBU R128 at -23 LUFS (Europe) or ATSC A/85 at -24 LUFS (USA). Speech benefits from greater level stability than music, so your listeners don't have to constantly adjust the volume – which we'll discuss in more detail later. Podcast Mastering Pay close attention.