Mastering to EBU R128 (−23 LUFS) for Broadcast
Published · updated · by Loopin
EBU R128 is the European broadcast (TV and radio) loudness standard, and it’s strict: deliver −23 LUFS integrated with a maximum −1 dBTP true peak. That’s far quieter than streaming’s −14 LUFS because broadcast deliberately preserves dynamics. You can hit the R128 target free in Loopin’s browser tool.
The EBU R128 delivery spec
EBU R128 is the loudness standard used across European TV and radio broadcast. The headline numbers you deliver to are simple and non-negotiable.
Target −23 LUFS integrated with a maximum true peak of −1 dBTP. Tolerance on the integrated loudness is about ±1 LU, tightening to ±0.5 LU for programs, so aim to land right on −23.
- Integrated loudness: −23 LUFS
- Tolerance: about ±1 LU, or ±0.5 LU for programs
- Maximum true peak: −1 dBTP
- Deliver at: −23 LUFS / −1 dBTP for R128
Who needs R128 delivery
You’ll run into EBU R128 any time your audio is destined for European television or radio: a music bed under a TV segment, a commercial, a program mix, a track licensed for broadcast, or content for a public broadcaster that enforces the standard. If a broadcaster or post house asks for “R128” or “−23 LUFS,” this is the spec they mean.
It’s a completely different deliverable from the loud master you’d hand a streaming service. The same song may need two versions: a competitive ~−14 LUFS master for streaming and a separate −23 LUFS / −1 dBTP master for broadcast. Don’t try to make one file serve both — the loudness philosophies are too far apart.
- European TV/radio segments, commercials, and program mixes
- Music licensed or supplied for broadcast use
- Anything a broadcaster or post house tags as “R128” or “−23 LUFS”
- Expect a separate broadcast master — don’t reuse the streaming one
Why broadcast is so much quieter than streaming
Streaming settles around −14 LUFS for music; broadcast sits a full 9 LU quieter at −23. That gap isn’t arbitrary. Broadcast deliberately preserves dynamics — the difference between quiet dialogue and a loud impact is meant to survive to air, not get squashed flat.
Setting the target low leaves generous headroom for those peaks and transients. It’s the opposite philosophy to the loudness-maximized approach you’d take for a competitive streaming single.
- Streaming ~−14 LUFS vs broadcast −23 LUFS — a 9 LU gap
- Broadcast preserves dynamics rather than maximizing loudness
- The low target leaves headroom for transients and peaks
- Don’t over-limit — that defeats the purpose of R128
What integrated loudness means for delivery
The −23 LUFS figure is integrated loudness — the loudness averaged over the whole program, not the peak of any single moment. A loud climax is fine as long as the program as a whole averages out to −23. That’s exactly what lets broadcast keep its dynamics: quiet passages can be genuinely quiet and loud ones genuinely loud.
Because it’s an average, you can’t hit it by pushing every second up to the ceiling. You set the overall level so the full runtime lands on −23, then confirm the loudest true peak never crosses −1 dBTP. Get both right and the file passes; miss either and it fails, even if the other is perfect.
- −23 LUFS is a whole-program average, not a per-moment level
- Averaging is what lets quiet and loud passages both survive to air
- Two independent checks: integrated at −23, true peak under −1 dBTP
R128 vs ATSC A/85 (US broadcast)
Europe uses EBU R128 at −23 LUFS. The US broadcast equivalent is ATSC A/85, which targets −24 LKFS — effectively the same idea, one unit lower and using the LKFS label (LKFS and LUFS are the same measurement).
If you’re delivering to a US broadcaster, check whether they want A/85 at −24 LKFS instead of R128 at −23 LUFS. For European broadcast, deliver R128 at −23 LUFS / −1 dBTP.
The practical takeaway is to confirm the spec before you master, not after. A one-unit miss between −23 and −24 is small, but a broadcaster’s quality-control system will still flag it. Ask which standard applies, master to that exact number, and you avoid a re-deliver.
- EBU R128 (Europe): −23 LUFS integrated
- ATSC A/85 (US): −24 LKFS
- LKFS and LUFS are the same unit under different names
- Confirm which standard your broadcaster requires before delivery
How to master to EBU R128
The path from mix to an R128-compliant delivery file.
- Bounce your mix to WAV with plenty of headroom and no brick-wall limiting.
- Open Loopin’s free mastering and drop it in — it runs entirely in your browser, nothing uploaded.
- Aim for −23 LUFS integrated; land within ±1 LU (±0.5 LU for a program).
- Keep the true-peak limiter at −1 dBTP as your ceiling.
- Resist over-limiting — broadcast wants the dynamics intact, not crushed.
- Download the WAV and deliver at −23 LUFS / −1 dBTP (or −24 LKFS if the broadcaster specifies ATSC A/85).
Common mistakes
- Delivering a −14 LUFS streaming master to broadcast — it’s ~9 LU too loud and will be rejected or turned down.
- Over-limiting to sound “finished” — R128 preserves dynamics; crushing them defeats the standard.
- Missing the −1 dBTP ceiling — true-peak overs fail the spec even if integrated loudness is correct.
- Confusing R128 with ATSC A/85 — Europe is −23 LUFS; US broadcast is −24 LKFS.
- Landing outside tolerance — aim right at −23, since programs allow only about ±0.5 LU.
Master it free
Loopin’s online mastering runs entirely in your browser with a two-pass loudness stage and a −1 dBTP true-peak limiter — free, no signup, nothing uploaded. Aim the loudness at −23 LUFS, keep the dynamics intact, and download a WAV that’s ready to deliver to broadcast.
Frequently asked questions
What LUFS is EBU R128?
EBU R128 targets −23 LUFS integrated, with a tolerance of about ±1 LU (or ±0.5 LU for programs) and a maximum true peak of −1 dBTP. Deliver at −23 LUFS / −1 dBTP for European broadcast.
Why is R128 so much quieter than streaming?
Broadcast deliberately preserves dynamics, so the target sits at −23 LUFS — about 9 LU below streaming’s −14 LUFS. The low target leaves headroom for transients instead of maximizing loudness.
What’s the difference between EBU R128 and ATSC A/85?
R128 is the European broadcast standard at −23 LUFS; ATSC A/85 is the US standard at −24 LKFS. LKFS and LUFS are the same measurement, so the two are effectively the same idea one unit apart.
What true peak does EBU R128 require?
A maximum true peak of −1 dBTP. Even with correct integrated loudness, a program that exceeds −1 dBTP fails the R128 spec.
Can I master to EBU R128 for free?
Yes. Loopin’s free browser mastering has a two-pass loudness stage and a −1 dBTP true-peak limiter, nothing uploaded and no account. Aim the loudness at −23 LUFS, keep dynamics intact, and download a delivery-ready WAV.