Mastering Loudness

LUFS Loudness Targeter

Different streaming services quietly turn down tracks that come in louder than their target. This tool reads your integrated LUFS and true peak against the actual published targets for Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Club / EDM, CD and EBU R128 broadcast — then tells you how many dB you need to add or remove, and where to make that change (limiter, clipper or multiband).

Your master readings

Integrated LUFS (your file) -10.0 LUFS

-30-20-10-2

True peak (dBTP) -1.0 dBTP

-12-60

Estimated PLR (Loudness Range) 6.0 LU

Optional — used for the loudness-war warning.

Primary target (drives the verdict)

Tip: this tool uses your own measured numbers. See Limitations for why web-meter estimates aren't precise enough to commit a release on.

Multi-platform comparison

Horizontal: target LUFS · Vertical: pass / fail

Bars on the left of the zero line are louder than the platform's target (gets turned down); bars on the right are quieter (gets turned up). A green colour means you stay within the platform's loudness tolerance without heavy gain change.

Per-platform verdict

Platform	Target LUFS	True peak cap	Delta	Verdict

How to apply the correction

How to use

Bounce a full-length master (not a 30-second loop) and measure integrated LUFS in your DAW or a plugin like Youlean Loudness Meter / MLoudnessAnalyzer.
Enter that integrated LUFS, the true-peak (dBTP) and your PLR / LRA reading using the sliders above.
Pick the platform you actually plan to release on as the primary target; the others still render for comparison.
Read the verdict per platform and the suggested correction (in dB) — then apply that gain change at the stage we recommend (limiter / clipper / multiband).
Re-measure. If your PLR dropped below 4 LU you are over-compressed; if it climbed above 12 LU you're too dynamic for that platform.

How to read the result

Delta is the signed difference between your LUFS and the platform's target. Positive delta ⇒ you are louder than target (will be turned down). Negative delta ⇒ quieter (turned up).
Pass means the platform's normalisation move will be ≤ 1 dB, which is inaudible. Anything beyond ±2 dB usually means the platform's gain-riding kicks in audibly on a fade-in / fade-out.
The chart bars are anchored at the platform target; your number is the outlined marker, so you can see how far off you are without re-reading the table.
The recommendation line uses your primary target — change that dropdown to retarget without re-entering your numbers.

Limitations

This page does NOT measure your audio. It only does the math once you have an LUFS / true-peak reading from a calibrated offline meter. A web tool cannot produce an integrated LUFS that you should ship to a label — that requires sample-accurate K-weighted filtering (BS.1770), proper gating and at least the full-length signal.

True peak ≠ sample peak. Inter-sample peaks happen between samples after a DAC; your DAW's own TP meter (e.g. limiter TP) catches them, your ears do not. Always trust the dBTP reading, not the meters that just show 0 dBFS.

Platform targets move over time. Spotify normalised to −14 LUFS in 2017, but Apple Music switched from Sound Check to Sound Check Pro and adjusted their reference. The numbers we cite are correct as of late 2025 / early 2026 — re-check the platform's own published docs before a release.

Club / festival is not a fixed number. −8 to −6 LUFS is the common engineering practice for EDM that gets mastered for a Big-Room DJ set, but it is a creative choice, not a contractual spec. If the artist wants dynamics, do not chase the “club number” at the cost of punch.

FAQ

What is integrated LUFS and why isn't dB enough?

Integrated LUFS is the average perceived loudness over the entire track, K-weighted to mimic human hearing. Two tracks can have the same peak dB but feel very different in level — LUFS captures the average, peaks only capture the loudest instant. Platforms normalise on LUFS specifically because it predicts how loud a song will sit next to its neighbours in a playlist.

Why does Spotify say −14 LUFS but artists still master louder?

Loudness normalisation turns the volume down for tracks above the target, but it does not turn it up for tracks below it on every platform. That's why some producers still chase extra loudness — if you are on the borderline, a louder master is a hedge against being turned down on platforms that don't compensate. The trade-off is loss of PLR (dynamic range).

What's a healthy PLR / LRA for streaming?

For pop and EDM, 6–8 LU is typical and acceptable. For film / orchestral / jazz, 10–14 LU is healthy. Below 4 LU your master sounds squashed even at the correct LUFS; above 14 LU quiet sections may be inaudible on phone speakers.

Does the tool factor in EBU R128 for broadcast?

Yes — select "EBU R128 broadcast" as your primary target. The true-peak cap for R128 is −1 dBTP, and the loudness target is −23 LUFS, which is much quieter than streaming. Broadcast also gates silence, so a long quiet intro won't penalise the integrated number the way it does for streaming.

Should I send −14 LUFS to Apple Music or −16?

Both work, but Apple Music's own published guidance after 2023 has been −16 LUFS as the Sound Check target. Sending it louder than that won't be rejected — you'll just be turned down — but submitting a master at −16 LUFS lets Apple apply its own gentle limiting without stacking it on top of yours.