What is LUFS: How Loud is Loud Enough (and who is the final decider)?

October 9, 2025

Discover how loudness standards can enhance your audio mix and why understanding LUFS is crucial for modern post-production professionals.


Series

Part 1: Learn about the core loudness standard for professional delivery

Is my VO loud enough? Is my music too loud? Will my mix sound loud enough compared to other content? How do I know my mix will meet the delivery requirements?

With sound loudness specifications being an integral part of everyday life in post-production and content creation, it makes sense to have some foundational knowledge of what loudness is and how to measure it.

“Ultimately you need to carefully read the sound delivery spec for whoever you are mixing for and if you don’t have that spec, ask for it.”

Sam Lowe, Professional Sound Engineer
Loudness monitoring in DaVinci Resolve Fairlight
The Loudness Meter on DaVinci Resolve’s Fairlight page

Key takeaways from this Insight

By the end of this Insight, you should understand:

  • How loudness is measured and how that affects your sound mix.
  • The tools available to measure loudness and meet loudness specs.
  • Why you should always ask for sound delivery specifications.
  • The difference in how a mix for a feature film is done compared to a streaming series or advertisement.
  • Why people are constantly changing the volume of their televisions.

Related Mixing Light Insights


Understanding Loudness Measurement

The Evolution of Loudness Standards

Around 2014, streaming platforms introduced Loudness Normalization for all new content uploaded. They analyze the audio using a measuring scale called LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale).

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