Updated October 2026 · Editing audio well
Before publishing, check the finished episode on real devices: the levels and loudness of the export, clipping and true peak, noise in the quiet pauses, the joins and music, the metadata and the first and last minute. A short, consistent check catches the mistakes that are easy to miss after many hours of editing.
After hours of editing, the ear is tired, the details blur and the temptation is to publish. A final quality check is the last chance to catch the mistakes that editing hides: a click at a join, a music bed that masks a word, a loudness that does not match the rest of the show, or a title with a typo. A short, consistent check, run the same way for every episode, catches most of these problems before listeners hear them.
This post sets out the checklist, explains each check and suggests how to run it without losing a day. It is written for podcasters and video makers who publish audio regularly.
The project may sound fine while the export does not. Check the exported file, the one you will publish. Play it in a media player, not in the editor, so you hear what listeners will hear. A change in format or sample rate can alter the sound in small but noticeable ways.
Measure the loudness and true peak of the exported file, and compare them with your target. The LUFS meter shows both figures for a finished file. A file that is far from the target should be re-exported, and a file with a true peak near full scale should be checked for clipping.
Listen for crackle, harshness or flattened peaks on the loudest sounds. Look at the waveform for flat tops, which show clipping. If you find any, re-export with lower levels or a gentler limiter, rather than publishing a distorted file.
The quiet pauses reveal noise, hum, hiss and any sudden change in room tone. Listen to several pauses on headphones, and turn the volume up slightly to hear the background. A noise that is audible in a pause will be heard by listeners in quiet places, so fix it or accept it deliberately.
Play the join points at normal speed. Listen for clicks, level jumps and changes in room sound. A join that is obvious at normal speed will be obvious to listeners, so fix any that stand out.
Check the music balance under speech, the stings and the endings. Make sure the music never masks a word, and that every element is licensed for the use. A music bed that is too loud on a phone speaker is a common problem, so check the balance there too.
The first minute decides whether many listeners stay, and the last minute decides how they feel about the episode. Listen to both carefully. Check the intro level, the first words, the final sentence and the closing music or sign-off.
Check the title, the description, the chapter titles, the cover art and any tags or credits. A wrong name or a missing link is easy to publish and hard to recall. Read the description aloud once, and check every link.
Finally, listen on the devices your audience uses: a phone speaker, earbuds and, if possible, a car. The episode should be clear and comfortable on each. If something works only on headphones, fix it before publishing.
Check the file itself as well as the sound. Confirm that the sample rate, the channel layout, the length and the format match what the platform asks for. A mismatch can cause a rejected upload or a playback problem that only appears on some devices. Open the file in a second player to confirm that it plays from start to finish without a gap or a stutter.
The checklist catches common problems, but it cannot guarantee a perfect episode. Some issues appear only on specific devices, and some are a matter of taste. Use the checklist to remove the obvious mistakes, then trust your judgement about the rest.
A final check is a habit that protects the show. The LUFS meter confirms the loudness and true peak of the finished file, and the Vocal Checker shows clipping, noise and level problems in a recording you own. For the editing steps that come before the check, read the editing workflow post in this series.
Spot clipping, noise, rumble and level problems. Runs in your browser, nothing is uploaded.
The export, because it is the file listeners will hear.
Around fifteen to thirty minutes, once the habit is set. It saves far more time than it costs.
A wrong title, description or link, which is easy to publish and hard to recall.
No. Check on a phone speaker and earbuds, since many listeners use them.
