Free LUFS Meter Online

LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale) measures perceived loudness - how loud audio actually sounds to human ears, not just raw signal level. It's the global standard for measuring audio loudness, used by every major streaming platform and broadcaster. Our online LUFS meter gives you instant, accurate readings.

Unlike peak meters that show maximum signal level, LUFS considers how we perceive different frequencies. We hear 3kHz way louder than 50Hz at the same level. Our free LUFS meter accounts for this, giving you a true picture of how loud your track really sounds. One LUFS equals one dB of perceived loudness change.

Both matter, but for different reasons! Integrated LUFS is your track's overall loudness from start to finish - this is what streaming platforms measure. Short-term LUFS (3-second window) shows loudness moment-to-moment.

LUFS is always negative because it's referenced to digital full scale (0 dBFS). Think of 0 as the absolute ceiling - you literally can't go higher without distortion. Everything below is negative. -23 LUFS is quiet (like classical music), -6 LUFS is LOUD (like modern EDM).

It's like measuring depth below sea level - everything is 'minus' because you're measuring down from the surface. Lower numbers = quieter. -20 LUFS is quieter than -10 LUFS. Confusing at first, but you'll get used to it!

Genre-specific targets: EDM/Trap: -6 to -8 LUFS. Hip-Hop: -7 to -9 LUFS. Pop: -8 to -10 LUFS. Rock/Metal: -7 to -9 LUFS. Indie/Alternative: -10 to -12 LUFS. Jazz: -14 to -18 LUFS. Classical: -18 to -23 LUFS.

Always check reference tracks! Load commercial releases in your genre into our online LUFS meter. A chill lo-fi track at -6 LUFS would sound overcompressed, while EDM at -14 LUFS lacks energy. Use our free LUFS checker to match successful tracks in your style.

RMS measures average signal level, LUFS measures perceived loudness. RMS treats all frequencies equally - 100Hz and 3kHz at the same RMS level. But your ears don't! LUFS uses K-weighting to mimic human hearing, giving more weight to frequencies we're sensitive to.

In practice: A bass-heavy track might show high RMS but lower LUFS because we don't perceive low frequencies as loudly. A bright, midrange-focused mix might show lower RMS but higher LUFS. That's why LUFS became the standard - it actually represents what we hear.

With SoundBoost AI: Simply describe what you need! Try prompts like 'increase loudness while preserving dynamics', 'make it louder and punchier', or 'maximize LUFS for streaming'. Our AI analyzes your track and applies the perfect combination of EQ, compression, saturation, and limiting. Adjust the Intensity slider for more loudness, add Analog Warmth for perceived loudness through harmonics.

DIY techniques: Clean up first (high-pass below 30Hz). Stage compression (2-3dB per stage). Boost 2-5kHz for presence. Use saturation for harmonic density. Apply parallel compression for punch. Our AI mastering does all this automatically - it knows exactly how to push LUFS safely based on your track's characteristics. Just tell us your goal!

Because modern music is mastered louder! Most commercial releases sit between -8 to -11 LUFS. At -14 LUFS, you're 3-6dB quieter than your competition. Check any track with a LUFS meter online - you'll see this matters everywhere: non-normalized playback, DJ sets, radio, and even normalized streaming.

Context defines perception. A -14 LUFS ambient track sounds appropriate. A -14 LUFS trap beat sounds weak compared to industry standards (-7 to -9 LUFS). Always A/B against commercial references using an online LUFS analyzer. Often, a punchy -9 LUFS master sounds better than a dynamic -14 LUFS one, even after normalization.

Our LUFS meter implements the official ITU-R BS.1770-4 standard - the same algorithm used by all professional tools and streaming platforms. We use WebAssembly for bit-perfect accuracy, processing everything locally in your browser. Your audio never touches our servers when using our LUFS meter.

LUFS measurement is mathematically standardized. Any correctly implemented LUFS checker gives identical results. We've validated our free online LUFS meter against industry standards (Youlean, Waves etc.) with perfect correlation. The difference? Our LUFS meter is free, private, and requires no installation.

LRA measures your track's dynamic variation - the difference between quiet and loud sections. Low LRA (3-6 LU) indicates consistent levels, common in EDM, trap, and modern pop. High LRA (10-20 LU) shows greater dynamics, typical in jazz, classical, and progressive genres.

LRA is genre-specific, not quality-indicative. Modern hits often have 3-7 LU (compressed for impact). Jazz and classical range 10-25 LU (preserving natural dynamics). Use LRA to verify your track matches genre expectations. A 4 LU trap beat and 15 LU orchestral piece are both correct for their styles.

Always monitor True Peak! Sample peak shows digital values, but True Peak reveals what happens during digital-to-analog conversion. Inter-sample peaks can exceed 0dB even when your sample peak stays below, causing distortion in playback.

Best practices: Set True Peak ceiling at -0.3 to -1dB for streaming distribution. Some formats (lossy codecs) benefit from -1.5dB. Our meter displays both measurements - watch True Peak for final limiting decisions. That's what prevents distortion in the real world.