glossary
RMS shows electrical average level; LUFS estimates perceived loudness with time weighting and filtering.
RMS measures average signal energy over a window. LUFS applies loudness weighting and gating so the result better follows how people perceive program loudness.
That means two mixes with similar RMS can land at different LUFS if their frequency balance, dynamics, or silence sections differ.
RMS is useful for comparing density, sustain, and level consistency inside a mix. It can help with bass, vocal, and bus decisions where average energy matters.
LUFS is more useful for delivery and program loudness because it is closer to the language used by streaming and broadcast workflows.
Use RMS when you want a simple average-level read. Use LUFS when you need perceived loudness over momentary, short-term, or integrated windows.
Meter Core shows loudness and level views together so you can separate mix density from delivery loudness.