Loudness is one of the most fundamental aspects of professional audio. Whether you are a broadcast engineer ensuring compliance with international standards, a mastering engineer delivering consistent levels across platforms, or a producer wanting to understand why your mixes translate differently across devices — this page brings together everything you need. Browse by topic below.
Note: This section includes educational articles, editorial content, and product-related pages. For device-specific support, please visit the Support section.
Understand Loudness
Loudness Explained
The essential starting point. Covers why sample-peak measurement is no longer sufficient, how perceived loudness is measured, and what terms like LKFS, LUFS, LU, LRA, Program Loudness, and True-peak actually mean — with context on how international broadcast standards came to be.
Broadcast Standards
A complete reference guide to the major international loudness standards — ITU BS.1770-3, EBU R128 (and its four supporting Tech documents), ATSC A/85 (US), TR-B32 (Japan), and OP-59 (Australia) — with an explanation of how each standard works and where it applies.
Loudness Literature and Glossary
An extensive collection of peer-reviewed and conference papers on loudness measurement, normalization, and broadcast compliance — published at AES, NAB, and EBU events from 2004 to 2013. Includes a full glossary of loudness terminology for quick reference.
Apply and Implement
Loudness Applications
A practical guide to where loudness measurement and correction fits into your workflow. Covers broadcast transmission metering and correction, pre-broadcast ingest and quality control, post-broadcast logging, and production, post, and mastering scenarios — with guidance on the tools suited to each.
Production Papers
A focused collection of papers on loudness in real-world production contexts — including audio for mobile and iPod devices, the CALM Act and cross-platform broadcast, loudness range design, momentary loudness metering, and the BS.1770 standard revision.
Loudness Products
A complete overview of TC Electronic's hardware and software solutions for loudness metering and processing — including aNorm, Loudness Pilot, Loudness Radar Meter, DB6, DB8 MKII, Broadcast 6000, DB2, and P2. Each product is built for compliance with ITU BS.1770, EBU R128, ATSC A/85, and other international standards.
Also in the Tech Library
For deeper academic reading on loudness research, the following sections in the Tech Library contain the full body of papers and studies that underpin the standards and practices described above.
Loudness Measurement and Loudness Control — TC Electronic's research background and the closed-loop approach to loudness control
Mastering and Formats — Level control, distortion in CD mastering, and overload in signal conversion