glossary
The modern standard for measuring how loud your mix actually feels — not just how high the meters peak.
LUFS stands for Loudness Units relative to Full Scale. It is a loudness measurement standard (ITU-R BS.1770) that models how humans perceive level over time, rather than reporting only the tallest peak on your meter.
Streaming platforms, broadcast chains, and mastering engineers use integrated LUFS as the delivery target. A mix that peaks at -1 dBTP can still sound quiet if its integrated loudness sits far below the platform norm.
If your master is too loud, the platform turns it down and you lose punch. Too quiet, and the next track on the playlist feels bigger by comparison. LUFS gives you a repeatable reference for where your finished mix should land.
Meter Core shows integrated loudness alongside peak and stereo metrics so you can see whether your chain is gaining level intentionally or accidentally before export.
Meter Core's integrated-LUFS readings are cross-checked against FFmpeg's EBU R128 loudness measurement, using a scripted, reproducible test set — worst-case disagreement across the 8-case set is 0.05 LU. The full method and per-case numbers are published on the accuracy page.
Spotify states a -14 LUFS integrated reference for loudness normalization. Apple Music's Sound Check adjusts playback loudness too, but Apple publishes no fixed public target -- treat -14 LUFS as a streaming reference point, not a universal rule. Club and dance masters often aim hotter (-8 to -10 LUFS) knowing some playback systems will not apply the same normalization.
The right target depends on genre and intent. The mistake is guessing — measure, compare, and adjust with meters you trust.