Loudness Penalty Analyzer
Run a loud penalty and LUFS penalty analyze to see how your mix compares to the common target -14 LUFS and true peak -1 dB.
Import an audio track.
Drag & drop an audio file or click to browse.
How does this loud penalty and LUFS penalty analyze work?
Upload an audio file to see the exact volume changes across Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. The analyzer computes the Integrated Loudness (LUFS) and True Peak (dBTP) of the uploaded song. The calculator then applies platform-specific normalization rules to determine the exact loudness penalty.
A common mastering reference is target -14 LUFS with true peak -1 dBTP. This page helps you compare your current file against that baseline, then preview each platform's practical gain behavior.
Hear the final master exactly as listeners will hear the released track with normalization applied. The audio player applies the calculated streaming platform gain reduction and augmentation in real time. Previewing the streaming volume prevents unwanted volume drops or weak gains after distribution.
Your unreleased music stays completely private. The LUFS measurement and True Peak detection happen directly on the local device. The analyzer never uploads audio files to external servers.
Why do streaming platforms penalize loud masters?
They don't. Streaming services lower the volume of loud masters only if the listener has enabled loudness normalization. If a song exceeds a platform's target LUFS level, the streaming platform applies a loudness penalty to reduce the overall volume.
However, if your music is not loud enough, many platforms will not boost enough to fully reach target -14 LUFS. Some platforms do not increase at all. To avoid distortion, streaming services apply conservative gain and true-peak limits around the -1 dBTP range.
The real risk is that your release won't be loud enough. This means your song won't be able to compete for attention with other tracks in the genre. Use Neural Analog auto mastering tool to safely optimize your track loudness to precise LUFS levels.
This tool pays homage to the original Loudness Penalty analyzer concept.