What is a LUFS Meter?

A LUFS meter is an audio metering tool used to measure loudness in LUFS (Loudness Units relative to Full Scale), a standard system for evaluating perceived loudness in digital audio. Unlike traditional peak meters, LUFS meters measure loudness in a way that more closely reflects how humans actually perceive sound.

LUFS meters display several measurements, including integrated LUFS, short-term LUFS, and momentary LUFS. Integrated LUFS measures the overall loudness of an entire track, while short-term and momentary readings show loudness over shorter time windows. These measurements help engineers understand how loud a mix will sound to listeners.

LUFS metering is widely used in mixing and mastering to meet loudness standards for streaming services, broadcast, and film audio. Platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube use loudness normalization based on LUFS levels, making LUFS meters an important tool for ensuring that music plays back at consistent perceived loudness across different platforms.