MundoKit

Podcast loudness gain and headroom calculator

Enter integrated loudness and true peak from your audio meter. See the gain needed for your target, projected peaks and the gain that respects your peak ceiling.

Inputs
LUFS
Use a BS.1770 integrated loudness measurement of the entire programme.
dBTP
Use true peak, not sample peak.
LUFS
Editable. Apple recommends approximately −16 LKFS, ±1 dB.
dBTP
Editable. Apple recommends no higher than −1 dB FS true peak.

Results

Gain to reach target
+6 dB
Projected true peak after gain
3 dBTP
Peak reduction needed to meet ceiling
+4 dB
Gain respecting ceiling without limiting
+2 dB
Loudness with that gain
-20 LUFS
  • Gain alone cannot meet both targets. Reduce peaks with suitable processing, then remeasure loudness and true peak. The reduction shown is a minimum peak excess, not a limiter setting.
  • Projected peak exceeds 0 dBTP: clipping risk.
  • This tool accepts measurements; it does not analyze or modify an audio file. Gating and encoding can change final measurements.

Results update as you type. The share link stores your inputs after the # in the address, which is not sent to our server, but anyone you send it to can read them.

How it works

The defaults follow Apple’s audio-level recommendation: approximately −16 LKFS with a ±1 dB tolerance and a true peak no higher than −1 dB FS. Targets remain editable. Use integrated programme loudness measured under BS.1770, not momentary loudness or a sample-peak reading.

gain = target loudness − measured loudness projected true peak = measured true peak + gain minimum peak excess = max(0, projected true peak − ceiling) gain respecting ceiling = min(gain, ceiling − measured true peak)

The gain calculation assumes uniform gain shifts the loudness and true peak by the same dB amount, consistent with the ITU loudness-unit scale. When peaks would exceed the ceiling, gain alone cannot meet both targets. Peak reduction or dynamics processing may help, but the displayed excess is not a limiter threshold or a prediction of final loudness. Meter gating and later encoding can change results. Remeasure after processing and encoding.

Rounding: internal calculations are unrounded; results display up to two decimal places. Positive gain means amplification; negative gain means attenuation. The app accepts loudness from −100 through 0 LUFS, true peak from −100 through +20 dBTP and ceilings from −100 through 0 dBTP. These are input bounds, not delivery specifications.

Worked examples

Quiet recording with little peak headroom

Measured −22 LUFS and −3 dBTP, targeting −16 LUFS and a −1 dBTP ceiling: gain is +6 dB, projected peak +3 dBTP and peak excess 4 dB. Gain alone can add only 2 dB, leaving loudness at −20 LUFS.

Turn down a louder recording

Measured −14 LUFS and −0.5 dBTP, targeting −16 LUFS and a −1 dBTP ceiling: apply −2 dB. Projected true peak is −2.5 dBTP, with 1.5 dB of headroom and no projected peak excess.

Frequently asked questions

Does this measure my audio file?
No. Enter readings from an integrated loudness and true-peak meter. This tool performs gain arithmetic and does not analyze or export audio.
Are LUFS and LKFS different targets here?
They describe the same numerical full-scale loudness scale for this calculation. Apple writes LKFS. Use a BS.1770 integrated measurement for the entire programme, with the same meter settings before and after processing.
Should mono automatically use −19 LUFS?
This tool does not apply a separate mono rule. The cited Apple audio-level guidance gives approximately −16 LKFS with ±1 dB tolerance. Enter another target if your delivery specification requires it.
Is exceeding −1 dBTP the same as clipping?
No. Exceeding the chosen ceiling is a delivery-headroom issue. A projected true peak above 0 dBTP separately flags clipping risk. Lossy encoding can alter peaks, so check the encoded file as well.
Can I enter the peak excess as a limiter setting?
No. It is the minimum difference between the ideal projected peak and your ceiling. Limiting changes waveform dynamics and can change measured loudness; choose processing by listening and remeasuring.

Sources

Last reviewed 2026-11-14; next review due by 2027-02-12. The method is written out above so you can check our math.