LUFS for DJs: how loud your tracks really are
Two tracks can peak at the same level and still play at very different loudness. LUFS measures loudness the way ears hear it, which is why it is the figure to level a set on.
Why peaks are not loudness
A peak meter shows the highest point. Loudness depends on how much of the track sits near that point: a heavily limited master and an open, dynamic one can both peak at the top while one sounds several decibels louder. Integrated loudness, in LUFS, measures the whole track as a listener hears it.
How loud club tracks are
Club masters are cut far louder than streaming asks for. RefBooth’s Club/DJ target puts the middle of that range at −8.0 LUFS, and Set check trims every track to it, or to the middle of your own set.
What to do with it
- Before the gig, read every track’s loudness and note the trim for each.
- Older and more dynamic tracks sit lower: they need more gain, and their peaks rise with it.
- A loud track next to a quiet one is where the crowd hears the jump, and where you reach for the trim mid-mix.
The background for producers: What is LUFS?. The mixer side: gain staging for DJs.