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Elephant Audio
Audio production · Sound design · Music production
LahorePKEngineering sound since 2018
Loudness and delivery reference
Territory reference
EBU R 128 — European Broadcast Loudness
What does EBU R 128 actually require?
EBU R 128 sets a Programme Loudness Level of −23.0 LUFS with true peak no higher than −1 dBTP. A tolerance of ±1.0 LU is permitted only where the target is not practically achievable, such as live programmes. Quality control may allow ±0.2 LU for measurement error. The current revision is R 128-2023.
Source
Transcribed from the published standard, read 2026-09-18. Check it yourself
−23.0 LUFS
Programme Loudness Level
the Target Level
−1 dBTP
maximum true peak
during production, linear audio
±1.0 LU
tolerance
only where the target is impractical, e.g. live
±0.2 LU
QC allowance
for measurement error only
The target, and what the tolerance is actually for
R 128 states that the Programme Loudness Level shall be normalised to a Target Level of −23.0 LUFS. The often-quoted ±1.0 LU is not a general allowance: the document permits it specifically where attaining the target is not achievable practically, giving live programmes as the example, and adds that a broadcaster should ensure a deviation towards the limits of the tolerance does not become standard practice.
A separate and much tighter figure covers quality control. For the implementation of loudness workflows, a tolerance of ±0.2 LU is allowed in order to take account of measurement errors. That is the number a QC system is realistically working to on pre-recorded material, and it is the one most summaries omit entirely.
The document also allows a Programme Loudness Level deliberately lower than −23.0 LUFS in special cases, but requires that the exception be clearly indicated.
What the recommendation actually says
“that the Programme Loudness Level shall be normalised to a Target Level of −23.0 LUFS. Where attaining the Target Level is not achievable practically (for example, live programmes), a tolerance of ±1.0 LU is permitted.”
True peak, as specified
The ceiling and the precision it is held to:
- True Peak Level shall not exceed −1 dBTP during production, for linear audio.
- Measured with a meter compliant with ITU-R BS.1770 and EBU Tech 3341.
- The measurement tolerance is ±0.3 dB, for signals bandwidth-limited to 20 kHz.
- ⚠️ Permitted maximum true peak levels may be LOWER for different distribution systems and data-reduction rates. −1 dBTP is the production ceiling, not a guarantee that a lossy-encoded delivery will pass.
The measurement, exactly
R 128 does not simply name a number; it names how the number must be arrived at:
- Loudness is measured to ITU-R BS.1770, including the level-gating method described in equation (7) — the gate is what makes it a foreground-loudness measure rather than a plain average.
- The meter must also comply with EBU Tech 3341.
- Loudness Range is measured per EBU Tech 3342.
- Loudness metadata shall correctly indicate the actual Programme Loudness Level.
Why Loudness Range does not apply to most advertising
R 128 notes that for programmes shorter than one minute, the use of Loudness Range is not recommended, because there are too few data points — LRA is built on short-term loudness values measured over a three-second window.
Almost all advertising is shorter than one minute. So an LRA figure quoted on a thirty-second spot, or a QC system rejecting one on LRA grounds, is applying a measure the standard itself says not to use at that duration. This is worth knowing before arguing with a broadcaster's automated report.
“For programmes shorter than 1 minute, the use of the measure Loudness Range is not recommended due to too few data points (Loudness Range is based on the Short-term-Loudness values (3-seconds-window)).”
Revision history
Which version a spec sheet is quoting matters, because the tolerances moved:
- First published February 2010.
- Revised August 2011.
- June 2014 — V3. The tolerance changed to ±0.5 LU, except for live programmes.
- August 2020 — V4. Tolerance updates, and references to R 128 s1 and s2 added.
- Current: R 128-2023.
There is a second document for adverts and promos, and most people have never opened it
R 128 is not the only recommendation in this family. The EBU also publishes “R 128 s1 — Loudness Parameters for Short-Form Content (Adverts; Promos, etc.)”, Supplement 1 to R 128, Geneva, August 2020. It governs precisely the material an advertising studio makes: adverts, promos, idents, stingers and bumpers.
⚠️ It also carries a trap for anyone working from an old summary. EBU’s own publication page records that version 2.0, January 2016, was a “Simplificiation: removed Max. Momentary option” — so a Maximum Momentary Loudness limit for short-form content has not been part of this recommendation for a decade. Version 3.0, 18 August 2020, then added a tolerance for QC workflows and a true-peak measurement tolerance. Any source still quoting a Maximum Momentary figure for adverts is quoting a superseded document.
We have deliberately not reproduced s1’s numeric clauses on this page. The published PDF’s body text could not be transcribed reliably here, and this reference carries no figure that was not read from the issuing document. If you are delivering short-form to a European broadcaster, open s1 itself — it is short, free, and it is the document your file will actually be measured against.
The source
Every figure on this page came from the recommendation itself:
- EBU R 128 — Audio loudness normalisation and permitted maximum level— The recommendation as published by the EBU. Read 2026-09-18.
- EBU Tech 3341 — loudness metering— The meter specification R 128 requires compliance with.
- EBU R 128 s1 — Loudness Parameters for Short-Form Content (Adverts; Promos, etc.)— Supplement 1, version 3.0, 18 August 2020. Identity and version history read 2026-09-19; its numeric clauses are NOT reproduced on this page because they could not be transcribed from the PDF here.
Common questions
Is EBU R 128 the same as −23 LUFS and nothing else?
No. The −23.0 LUFS Target Level is the headline, but the recommendation also fixes the true-peak ceiling at −1 dBTP, requires ITU-R BS.1770 gated measurement including equation (7), requires meter compliance with EBU Tech 3341, and sets separate tolerances for live material and for quality control. A delivery can hit −23.0 LUFS and still fail on any of the others.
Which tolerance applies to a pre-recorded commercial?
Not the ±1.0 LU one. R 128 permits that only where attaining the target is not practically achievable, and names live programmes as the case. For pre-recorded material the relevant figure is the ±0.2 LU allowed in quality-control workflows to account for measurement error, and the document warns that drifting toward tolerance limits should not become standard practice.
Why does a −1 dBTP master still get rejected sometimes?
Because R 128 states that permitted maximum true peak levels may be lower for different distribution systems and data-reduction rates. −1 dBTP is the production ceiling for linear audio. A lossy encode can overshoot it, which is why many broadcasters and platforms ask for more headroom than the standard's own figure.
Next
- Measure your file against R 128
- How the broadcast and streaming targets differ
- What Spotify normalises playback to
- Mixing and mastering to a delivery spec
This page is the lookup. Broadcast and Streaming Loudness Specs for Commercials is the explanation behind it.
Delivering to a European broadcaster?
Send the spec sheet and the deliverables come back measured individually against it — the 30, the cut-downs, the social versions — with the report attached.
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