help with those LUFS loudness numbers...

[bendermastering]

The LU system has a more or less 0.8dB of error when measuring loudness, which is actually pretty good and makes it a reliable scale to measure loudness.

Most meters have long term measures and instant measuring so you can compare both characteristics on your audio, the instant loudness an the average one.

It is way faster to do it by ear though, unless you're really struggling with it or you work too much hours in one day and easily loose your sensibility. At the end of a working day, a 0.8dB margin of error should be more precise than a tired hear!

So yes, feel free to use a meter to speed up things but remember to hear everything in the morning to be assured all is as intended!

[UnderTow]

The LUFS system is meant for broadcast and is tweaked for voice more than for music. I have never really found it reliable for full music. And even for voice, it isn't anywhere as reliable as using your ears.

Alistair

[polybonk]

I remember I found when I looked at it a year ago that all of the better sounding albums that are competitively loud don't go over -10LU short term and the stuff I really liked never went above -14.
All the stuff that sounded fatiguing was up at -6 etc. I found it way more accurate than RMS for determining the amount of dynamics lost/smashed sound etc.

Still not as important as ears/monitors but I was impressed at the time.

[t-hiho]

Thanx for your answers. I did it by ear, after all...