6 min read
LUFS explained: why your film is rejected for being too loud
Peak meters tell you about clipping. LUFS tells you how loud something feels, which is what platforms measure before they turn your mix down.
A mix can peak at exactly minus one dBFS and still be rejected for loudness, because peaks and perceived loudness are different measurements. LUFS closes that gap.
What LUFS actually measures
Loudness Units relative to Full Scale is a measurement weighted to match human hearing, averaged over time. A quiet dialogue scene and a loud explosion produce very different peak readings but contribute to one integrated LUFS value for the programme.
- Integrated: the average over the whole programme, the number platforms check.
- Short term: a three second window, useful while mixing.
- Momentary: a four hundred millisecond window, for spotting sudden jumps.
- True peak: the highest inter sample level, measured in dBTP, for avoiding distortion.
Common targets
- Streaming platforms: commonly around minus fourteen to minus sixteen LUFS integrated.
- European broadcast, EBU R128: minus twenty three LUFS with minus one dBTP.
- Cinema: mixed to a calibrated room rather than a LUFS target.
How to hit a target without crushing the mix
Mix for the story first, then measure. If the integrated value is off, adjust the overall level rather than compressing everything. Limiting to reach a number destroys the dynamic range that made the scene work.
Before you export
Confirm sample rate, bit depth and channel layout match the delivery spec. A perfect loudness value in the wrong format still fails delivery, and the format check takes seconds.
Our audio inspector reads format details locally, no upload required.