What is LUFS?
LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale) is the industry standard measurement for perceived audio loudness. Unlike simple peak measurements, LUFS considers how humans actually perceive volume—making it essential for consistent podcast playback.
Understanding LUFS
Key concept: LUFS measures perceived loudness, not just signal level.
Two audio files can have identical peak levels but sound very different in loudness. LUFS accounts for:
- How long sounds sustain
- Frequency content (we perceive midrange as louder)
- Dynamic range
Podcast Loudness Standards
| Platform/Standard | Target | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Podcasts | -16 LUFS (stereo) | Official recommendation |
| Spotify | -14 to -16 LUFS | May normalize to -14 |
| YouTube | -14 LUFS | Uses loudness normalization |
| General podcast | -16 to -19 LUFS | Industry consensus |
| Mono content | -19 LUFS | Accounts for mono playback |
The -16 LUFS standard: Most podcast platforms recommend -16 LUFS for stereo content because it:
- Matches broadcast standards
- Sounds good on speakers and headphones
- Leaves headroom for dynamic content
- Works well across different playback systems
LUFS Measurement Types
| Measurement | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Momentary (M) | Loudness over 400ms windows |
| Short-term (S) | Loudness over 3-second windows |
| Integrated (I) | Average loudness of entire file |
| Loudness Range (LRA) | Dynamic variation |
| True Peak (TP) | Maximum signal level |
For podcasts: Integrated LUFS (the overall average) is the primary target.
LUFS vs dB
| Measure | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| dBFS | Digital signal level (peak) |
| dB SPL | Sound pressure level (physical) |
| LUFS | Perceived loudness (psychological) |
A whisper and a shout can both peak at -1 dBFS, but have very different LUFS values.
Why It Matters
Proper loudness normalization ensures your podcast sounds consistent—both within episodes and compared to other shows. Nothing loses listeners faster than constantly adjusting volume.
Why LUFS targeting matters:
-
Consistent playback: Listeners don't need to adjust volume between your episodes.
-
Platform parity: Your podcast sounds equally good whether someone came from music or another show.
-
Competitive loudness: A too-quiet podcast sounds unprofessional next to properly normalized content.
-
Dynamic preservation: Unlike peak normalization, LUFS preserves natural dynamics.
The loudness war lesson:
Music streaming settled on loudness standards after the "loudness war" taught the industry that over-compressed, ear-fatiguing audio isn't better—just annoying. Podcasting adopted similar standards.
Common loudness problems:
| Issue | Cause | Listener Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Too quiet (-24 LUFS) | Under-normalized | Strain to hear, crank volume |
| Too loud (-10 LUFS) | Over-compressed | Fatiguing, no dynamics |
| Inconsistent | No processing | Volume jumping around |
| Peaking/clipping | Too much gain | Distortion, harsh sound |
The sweet spot: -16 to -19 LUFS delivers audio that's loud enough to compete but leaves enough dynamic range for natural-sounding speech.
How to Use This in Dispatch
Our audio processing automatically normalizes loudness to podcast standards:
Automatic normalization:
- Targets -16 LUFS for stereo, -19 LUFS for mono
- Preserves natural dynamics (not over-compressed)
- True peak limiting prevents clipping
- Consistent output across all episodes
What you don't need to do:
- Manually measure LUFS
- Apply loudness normalization in your DAW
- Worry about matching levels between episodes
Best practice for upload: Record and edit at comfortable levels with peaks around -6 to -3 dBFS. Our processing handles the final loudness targeting—uploading already-normalized audio can result in over-processing.
Advanced options: If you prefer to handle loudness yourself, you can disable automatic normalization in Show Settings → Audio and upload pre-normalized files.