Updated October 2026 · Using the free tools
The LUFS Meter lets you drop in a mix or master and see its integrated loudness, true peak and loudness range, and what Spotify, YouTube and Apple Music would do to it. Check the integrated figure against your target, the true peak for clipping, and the range for how much the dynamics vary. Use the result to adjust the master before release.
Loudness is one of the most important and least understood parts of finishing a song. A master that is too quiet sounds weak next to other tracks, and one that is too loud can be squashed and tiring. Streaming services also adjust the playback level, so the number you aim for in the studio is not always the number a listener hears. A quick, reliable check helps you see where your mix sits before you release it.
The LUFS Meter is a free online tool for this job. This guide explains what it reports, how to read the figures and how to use them to make decisions about your master.
The LUFS Meter shows three main figures. Integrated loudness is the average loudness of the whole song, measured on a scale that reflects how the ear hears. True peak shows the highest level the signal reaches between samples, which is where clipping can hide. Loudness range shows how much the loudness varies across the track. The tool also shows what streaming services would do to the file, which helps you judge how the master will sound after playback adjustment.
Export the master as you would release it, at the sample rate and format you plan to deliver. Check that it plays from start to end, with no unexpected silence or clicks. Measuring the file you intend to release is more useful than measuring the project, because the export can change the level and the peaks.
The integrated figure is the one most people compare with a target. Check it against your release plan or the guidance from the platform you are delivering to. A lower figure is not automatically a fault: a quiet, dynamic track may suit a particular style. Use the number to decide whether the master is in the right range, and let your ears decide the balance.
True peak tells you whether the file is likely to clip on playback, even if the sample meter in your studio looked safe. A true peak above zero is a clear sign that the signal exceeds full scale somewhere between samples. Reduce the level or the limiting until the true peak is comfortably below zero, leaving headroom for playback and conversion.
Loudness range describes how much the loudness changes across the song. A very narrow range can mean the track is squashed, with little contrast between loud and quiet. A very wide range can mean quiet passages that are hard to hear in noisy places. Compare the range with other tracks in your genre, and choose the balance that suits the song.
The meter shows what Spotify, YouTube and Apple Music would do to the file. Platforms may turn louder files down and sometimes turn quieter files up, depending on their settings. A master that is very loud will be reduced on playback, so pushing the level for its own sake gains little. Check the platform view to see whether your master will sit well after adjustment.
Measure a commercial track you know well, in the same style, and compare its loudness and peak with your mix. The numbers will not decide the balance for you, but the comparison shows whether your mix sits in a similar range. Play both tracks at the same level in your monitoring, and listen for differences in the vocal and the low end.
Measuring a rough mix early shows whether the balance is heading in a sensible direction. A rough mix with very high loudness and clipping peaks often needs gain staging before the mastering stage, and that is far easier to correct at the start than at the end.
The meter measures what can be measured, and it cannot judge the arrangement, the performance or the feel of the track. Platform behaviour can change, so check the current guidance before a release. Use the figures as a guide, and trust the listening test on several devices.
Measure your next master before release. The LUFS Meter is free and shows the figures described above. For a speech episode, the guide to checking a vocal recording covers the Vocal Checker, and the Tunedzy Go page covers phone recordings.
Spot clipping, noise, rumble and level problems. Runs in your browser, nothing is uploaded.
The average loudness of the whole track, measured on a scale that reflects how the ear hears.
It shows where clipping can occur on playback, between the stored samples.
Not necessarily. Platforms may turn louder files down, and squashing can cost quality.
The export, since it is the file you will release.
