Free tool
Normalize your podcast's loudness to -16 LUFS, right in the browser
Drop in an episode, pick a target and get a WAV at the right level. Loudness is measured to the ITU-R BS.1770 standard and your file stays on your device.
Your file never leaves this browser tab. Nothing is uploaded.
Drop an audio file here
MP3, WAV, M4A, OGG, FLAC or WebM. Up to 30 minutes of stereo or 60 minutes of mono.
Measured, not guessed
Players and platforms aim for a similar volume across shows. An episode that is much quieter than the target makes listeners reach for the volume knob, and one that is louder gets turned down by the platform, sometimes with audible distortion. Normalizing to the target avoids both.
The tool measures integrated loudness in LUFS with the K-weighting and gating of ITU-R BS.1770, applies a single gain change and keeps the peaks under -1 dB with a limiter. Nothing is uploaded, the work happens in your browser tab.
How to use it
#howChoose a file
Drop an MP3, WAV, M4A, OGG, FLAC or WebM file (up to 30 minutes and 250 MB) onto the box or pick it from your device.
Pick a target
Podcast (-16 LUFS) suits most shows. Streaming (-14 LUFS) is closer to what YouTube and Spotify normalize music to, and Broadcast (-23 LUFS) follows EBU R128.
Check the numbers and download
The tool shows the loudness before and after and the gain it applied. Compare the two versions, then download the result as a 16-bit WAV at 48 kHz.
Which target to choose
#targets| Target | Loudness | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Podcast | -16 LUFS | A common target for podcasts, for example Apple's recommendation for stereo shows |
| Streaming | -14 LUFS | Close to the level YouTube and Spotify normalize music to |
| Broadcast | -23 LUFS | EBU R128, the European standard for radio and television |
Good to know
#tips- Normalize last: do noise removal, EQ and editing first, because each of them changes the level.
- Loudness normalization changes the volume, not the dynamics. A very uneven recording stays uneven; it needs a compressor, not a louder gain.
- If the result lands slightly below the target, the limiter held back a few loud peaks at -1 dB. That is the safe outcome, a louder file would clip.
- Aim for the target of the place your show is heard most. If you are unsure, -16 LUFS is the safe default for podcasts.
What happens to your file
#privacyThe file is decoded and processed by your browser and written back as a download. It is not sent to Airtape or any other server, and it is not stored. You can check this in your browser's network tab: no request carries your audio.
Frequently asked questions
LUFS stands for Loudness Units relative to Full Scale. It measures how loud audio is perceived over its whole length, unlike the peak level, which only shows the single loudest sample.
It is a widely used target for podcasts: loud enough for phones and cars, quiet enough that platforms rarely turn the episode down. Check the guidelines of your host or platform if you have a specific requirement.
No. It applies one gain change to the whole file and limits stray peaks. It does not even out loud and quiet passages the way a compressor does.
A few loud peaks would have clipped at the new level, so the limiter held them back at -1 dB. The tool shows the measured result, so you see exactly what you got.
No. Measuring and processing run inside your browser tab, and the result is created on your device.
Further reading
Get the level right before you record
Airtape records every guest locally with live level meters, so the level is right from the first minute. Free to start.