Digital Metering 101 - dBFS, RMS, LUFS and more

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In this video, Pete Dowsett demystifies the various digital metering scales used in audio production. What are dBFS, dBFS RMS, LUFS, LKFS and True Peak?
Music Credit: Dig Lazurus - The Joker
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[@robertbutler9326]

Young man, I have been working in the broadcast industry for 40 years, and that is the best, and clearest explanation of digital metering I have ever seen. Outstanding! Thank you for this.

[@taoteg1941]

Utterly brilliant presentation!

[@keportfolio1889]

3 full pages of notes. Exactly what I needed! Thanks

[@qqlka12345]

Thank you! Ive neaver been able to find time to learn this properly. You are making the world a wiser place! Cheers!

[@sabinbadea94]

Was a pleasure to follow this, thanks a lot :)

[@peteralden1850]

As a master's student in audio....you are the best, my friend. Many thanks for this vid 🙏

[@audioproductiontips]

My pleasure 😊

[@georgevarghese383]

This was so simply and beautifully explained. Thank you so much. I've read and watched so many resources to understand this, but I could never completely grasp the subject until now. Thanks a ton, again.

[@MattWillisMattFWB]

The art of teaching :) Thanks for the gift of your knowledge, and for being well-prepared and explaining this so clearly and practically.

[@kevinwilliams4855]

Quick and thorough explaination. thank you! 😎👍

[@aryanarya8741]

In loss of words! Thank you!!!

[@discorrdat]

Can't say I understood all of that but I will use this video as a reference. It did answer my initial question and much more. Thanks

[@Tyrell_Corp2019]

Been pulling my hair out for 2 weeks trying to get my gain staging down between all the different meters, along with the K system. This was a huge help. Thank you man. 🙏

[@Joonsik_e]

Sir, Thank you so much! This subject was a mystery to me for soooo long! Thank you!!

[@johns7987]

Excellent, thanks for explaining these cryptic concepts!

[@hanisiblini]

most precious video on the net so far Thank you

[@Fretboard_Chaos_Productions]

Thank you for putting this together - a very well explained and comprehensive overview.

[@magnuslervikmusic]

Really great video!! I'll watch this multiple times for sure.

[@johnadams2724]

thanks for putting this together. hugely informative

[@carlosa.chacon985]

Very very good! Thanks!

[@krishnaranaofficial2354]

KZbin Needs More TRUE Instructor like you , Very Well explained . Thankyou Brother can you Make a video on use of LUFS In DAW in Briefly . Thanks in advance

[@audioproductiontips]

Thank you !

[@danielmatzinas-creativecom7112]

Excellent video, presentation and the way you explain them. Thank you very much!!!

[@dandanthesoundman7607]

WOWWWWWWWW!!!! What an amazingly explained video on digital & analogue metering. I’ve been looking for a video like this for ever, hanks for doing it:).

[@adityagojamgunde7152]

This is just what I was searching for! Thanks a lot! Please make more videos like this!

[@audioproductiontips]

Glad you enjoyed it. I am open to suggestions.

[@teashea1]

very well done - organized - efficient - articulate - fine production values

[@Vaibhav-ku9xn]

Such a well explained video, thank you so much!

[@safehouserecordingstudios]

You are a wonderful teacher. This is exactly the information I was searching for. Thank you 🙏

[@markwhite1689]

This is an excellent video. Instant subscribe

[@poldolino]

Best video to this themes! Congratulations!

[@audioproductiontips]

Thank you!

[@avirana6326]

Brilliantly explained 💥

[@dagamusik]

You're so clear and coherent, you truly deserve more followers! I Sub immediately after finding this video!

[@audioproductiontips]

Thanks, that is appreciated!!

[@stefanfq6234]

Excellent and thorough overview!

[@audioproductiontips]

Thanks Stefan!

[@trollkilla7681]

This was awesome!

[@him6944]

Perfect video, so clearly explained. Thank you so much:D

[@audioproductiontips]

Thanks for watching :)

[@EdwinDekker71]

Excellent video.

[@PurpleMusicProductions]

This was extremely helpful. Thank you so much.

[@ecpruthless]

that was awesome......very well presented i just had one quick question and instead got a super in depth explanation with standards history to boot subscribed fsure

[@soulstories8298]

Thank you, really so well put together!

[@audioproductiontips]

Thank you!

[@fromthethicket4370]

Great video. Very well explained.

[@audioproductiontips]

Thank you, much appreciated.

[@eldurakopr]

Great vid 🎉

[@keithprice7381]

Great explanation. Thank you!

[@kmilamv]

Just what I needed, thanks!

[@audioproductiontips]

Thanks!

[@gokulv.k.2347]

Beautifully explained 😀

[@audioproductiontips]

Glad it was helpful!

[@takeshi_shinyama]

Appreciate it so much sir😌🙏

[@marcinpietrowski8775]

Very good video

[@mcsweet1966]

All I can say is Thank You !

[@bonafrato]

Very usefull. Thank you.

[@flexrex6390]

thank u man !

[@elcacha_anda]

Great video! thanks a lot.- i have an tv program audio that they told me that the show has to be between -10dbfs and -20dbfs. wich plugin could help to measure and be sure that I'm in that level.- thanks!

[@feli_sara]

Thx!🎉

[@sarinsahil]

Thank you :)

[@rfhVO]

Very helpful... ok... thank you so much... ok...

[@diotriton2]

Hi, beautiful explanation. I didn't understand the last thing: why, if you put higher treeshold, true pick doesn't clipping? Higher treeshold -> less compression -> more clipping, where is the mistake?

[@prcption8636]

So how do I utilize all this information while producing and mixing?

[@LohPro]

what is the difference between VU & RMS metering? some mix engineers i see use VU, others use RMS, so why one over the other, if they both show average level?

[@Theonlyoneto]

What song is he using

[@keportfolio1889]

How is it that on the dBu meter it goes from +4 to +16 to +12. Great vid btw, I'm learning a ton.

[@audioproductiontips]

Just a typo :)

[@masahalfahil5225]

Thanks a lot.. Perfect Video Can I convert a dBfs to dBSPL??

[@audioproductiontips]

Unfortunately, no. Let me explain. SPL stands for sound pressure level and is the relation of physical pressure in a location. The reference for SPL is 0dB SPL is the quietest sound the human ear can detect. dBFS is a relation to the maximum digital level before clipping so 0dBFS is the highest level and the rest of the values are negative. The big problem here is that dependent on the size of your speakers, size of amplifier, output volume of your interface and distance from the speakers all change the potential SPL. Note that these aren't even all the factors, even temperature and the materials on the walls make a difference to SPL. Therefore there is no way to accurately convert them without knowing a lot more about the rest of the system at which point it is much easier to just measure it with an SPL meter.

[@brianmac8260]

From what I can hear, anywhere near 0dbfs you are asking for distortion. You must consider your converters also. And I hate to point out that +12 dbu would normally appear before +16dbu on a real meter! :-)

[@audioproductiontips]

In regards to the +12 thing, It's meant to be +6 but it's just a typo in the slide, but you already know that right. In regards to distortion, Obviously, the circumstances matter here. If you are talking about purely one channel as long as you are under 0dBFS you should get ZERO distortion (if everything is set up properly and functioning correctly). If you are talking about the gain staging of an entire mix, running the levels on individual channels anywhere close to zero is asking for trouble. This video is just about individual metering and not gain staging though.

[@brianmac8260]

@@audioproductiontips Yes I did know it was a typo. Pete, please see my comment on Top Down Mixing video!!

[@DaftFader]

On the first dbu diagram you showed, it had +12 above +16 .. that's surely just a mistake right? I've not been doing it wrong for all these years have I? xD

[@norakat]

Finally somebody who is not talking out of their a$# 😁

[@uberallesculture]

Dude...awesome fucking video

[@joeldichter1320]

That intro was loud