LUFS (Loudness Units relative to Full Scale)
A perceptually weighted loudness unit, with different targets on streaming platforms
Related
LUFS (Loudness Units relative to Full Scale) measures perceived loudness. Its algorithm follows ITU-R BS.1770: frequency and channel energy are weighted, then gated over time. It describes the average loudness of a whole programme, not an instantaneous peak.
Platforms normalize uploaded masters to their own targets: Spotify normalizes to -14 LUFS by default, Apple Music targets -16 LUFS, and EBU R128 broadcast uses -23 LUFS. A louder master is turned down as a whole; loudness gained through limiting does not leave more dynamics.
The usual mistake is to treat LUFS as a volume knob or a peak meter. LUFS measures overall programme loudness; peaks are read in dBTP. They are different scales. When mixing, check LUFS against the target first, then check whether true peak exceeds 0 dBTP.
Related → DAW
Sources
- LUFS 的加权与门限算法，参 ITU-R BS.1770-4（2015）；平台目标值参 EBU R 128 与各平台公开的响度归一化说明；本文为原创表述
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