LUFS (Loudness Units relative to Full Scale) is the standard measurement for perceived loudness, defined by the ITU-R BS.1770 specification. Unlike peak meters that show the highest signal level, LUFS measures how loud audio sounds to human ears.
Key measurements:
- Integrated LUFS — average loudness over the entire program
- Short-term LUFS — loudness over a 3-second window
- Momentary LUFS — loudness over a 400ms window
Common targets:
- Streaming (Spotify, YouTube): -14 LUFS
- Broadcast (TV): -24 LUFS
- Games: varies, typically -18 to -14 LUFS for music
In game audio, LUFS metering helps ensure consistent loudness across different sound categories (dialogue, music, SFX) and compliant output for different platforms.