Brizm
Loudness Penalty Calculator
Enter your loudness values and see how streaming platforms will adjust your audio.
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Platform Adjustments
How to Check Loudness Penalties
- 1 Enter your track's integrated LUFS value
- 2 See volume adjustments per streaming platform
- 3 Decide if you need to adjust your master
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a loudness penalty?
When your track is louder than a platform's target, it gets turned down. A track at -8 LUFS on Spotify (target -14) loses 6 dB — sacrificing dynamic range for no benefit.
What LUFS should I target?
For streaming, -14 LUFS is a safe target that works across most platforms. Master louder only for specific reasons like club play, where -8 to -10 LUFS is common.
How accurate are these penalties?
Penalties match official platform normalization algorithms. Results may vary by ±0.1 dB from streaming services due to codec differences in final delivery.
What is a loudness penalty in streaming?
Streaming platforms normalize tracks to a fixed LUFS target — Spotify/YouTube to -14 LUFS, Apple Music to -16 LUFS. A master louder than the target gets turned down. A louder master does not play louder; it just plays less dynamically.
Why does Spotify reduce my master volume?
Spotify protects listeners from loudness jumps between tracks. The platform applies negative gain to masters louder than -14 LUFS — a -8 LUFS master gets -6 dB applied; -14 LUFS gets no penalty. The track still plays, just at the platform target.
What LUFS target should I master to?
-14 LUFS integrated is the safest streaming target — matches Spotify and YouTube. For club, radio, or competitive masters, target -8 to -10 LUFS and accept streaming penalty. Quieter than -14 LUFS leaves headroom but plays softer than other tracks.
