Loudness Meter

About Loudness Meter

This professional loudness meter measures audio levels in real-time, displaying RMS (Root Mean Square) and peak levels. Perfect for audio engineers, musicians, podcasters, and content creators who need to monitor and analyze audio loudness to ensure optimal levels and prevent clipping.

What audio formats are supported?

All common audio formats are supported including MP3, WAV, OGG, AAC, M4A, FLAC, OPUS, and more.

What is RMS level?

RMS (Root Mean Square) represents the average loudness of your audio over time. It's a better indicator of perceived loudness than peak level because it accounts for the continuous energy of the sound. RMS is commonly used for setting overall volume levels.

What is Peak level?

Peak level shows the instantaneous maximum amplitude of your audio signal. It indicates the highest level reached at any moment. Monitoring peak levels is crucial to prevent clipping and distortion. Peak levels should stay below 0 dB to avoid clipping.

What is Peak Hold?

Peak Hold captures and displays the highest peak level reached during playback. It holds this value for a configurable duration (default 3 seconds) so you can easily see the maximum level even during fast transients. Use the 'Reset Peak' button to clear the peak hold indicator.

What do the meter colors mean?

The meter uses a standard color scheme: Green (safe zone, -60 to -10 dB), Yellow (caution zone, -10 to -3 dB), Red (danger zone, -3 to 0 dB). If your levels are consistently in the red zone, you risk clipping and distortion. Aim to keep your average levels in the green to yellow range with occasional peaks into yellow.

What is the difference between RMS and Peak?

RMS measures average loudness over time and represents perceived volume, while Peak measures the absolute maximum amplitude at any instant. For example, a snare drum hit has a high peak but short duration, so its RMS contribution is lower. RMS is better for overall loudness, while Peak prevents clipping.

What is Dynamic Range?

Dynamic Range is the difference between the loudest peak and the average RMS level. A larger dynamic range (15-20+ dB) indicates more variation between quiet and loud parts, typical of classical music. A smaller dynamic range (5-10 dB) indicates more compressed audio, common in modern pop music.

What does clipping mean?

Clipping occurs when audio peaks exceed 0 dB, causing the waveform to be cut off (clipped). This creates harsh distortion. When the meter shows red and displays values near or at 0 dB, you're at risk of clipping. The meter will pulse red to warn you.

How should I use the Update Rate setting?

Fast (20ms) provides the most responsive metering, ideal for critical monitoring. Medium (50ms) balances responsiveness with smoother display. Slow (100ms) provides the smoothest meter movement, good for overview monitoring. Fast is recommended for most uses.

What are good loudness levels for different content?

Music production: RMS average around -18 to -10 dB, peaks at -3 to 0 dB. Podcasts/Voice: RMS average around -20 to -16 dB, peaks at -6 to -3 dB. Streaming (Spotify/YouTube): Target around -14 LUFS integrated (approximately -14 dB RMS). Cinema: Much wider dynamic range, peaks at -20 to -10 dB.

Is my audio file safe?

Absolutely! All audio analysis happens directly in your browser using Web Audio API and Meyda. Your audio file is never uploaded to any server. Everything stays private on your device.

Can I use this for live monitoring?

While this tool is designed for file playback analysis, it provides professional-grade metering similar to studio equipment. For live input monitoring (microphone), you would need a different tool with real-time input access.