What loudness should you target for Broadcast TV?
EBU R 128 is the European broadcast recommendation: programme loudness normalised to -23 LUFS, with true peak not exceeding -1 dBTP in production. A tolerance of plus or minus 1 LU is allowed only where exact normalisation is not practical, such as live programmes. US ATSC A/85 uses a similar -24 LKFS. This is a genuine delivery spec, so masters are dynamic and natural, and over-loud material is turned down or rejected by compliance.
When you export from Quantara targeting Broadcast TV, the engine measures your master's integrated loudness (ITU-R BS.1770 / EBU R128), normalises it toward the -23.0 LUFS reference, and holds inter-sample (true) peaks under -1 dBTP. It will not slam a quiet, dynamic track up to a loud number just to hit a target — and since the major streaming platforms normalise playback anyway, sitting near the reference is what actually matters. You stay in control: tweak the chain, A/B against the original, and export when it sounds right.
EBU R 128 in numbers
Target level: programme loudness normalised to -23.0 LUFS, measured with a loudness meter compliant with ITU-R BS.1770.
Maximum true peak: -1 dBTP during production.
Tolerance: plus or minus 1 LU, only where exact normalisation to the target is not practical, such as live programmes.
Source: EBU R 128, European Broadcasting Union. How the measurement works is explained in our BS.1770 loudness guide.
How to master your track for Broadcast TV
Upload your mix
Create an account (no card needed), then drag and drop your WAV, FLAC or MP3 file into Quantara Studio. Supports files up to 500MB.
Select Broadcast TV preset
Click the Broadcast TV target. The mastering chain starts from a -23.0 LUFS reference with tone, dynamics and stereo width tuned for this target.
A/B compare and export
Press Play and flip between Before and After to hear the difference. When you're happy, click Export to download your Broadcast TV master in the format your plan includes (WAV, FLAC or MP3), normalised toward -23.0 LUFS with true-peak limiting at -2 dBTP.
Genres to pair with Broadcast TV
Genre starting points to pair with the Broadcast TV target: Cinematic, Classical, Ambient, Jazz, Acoustic. Each genre has its own frequency balance and dynamics, so treat the preset as a starting point and fine-tune by ear.
Why master Broadcast TV with Quantara?
A mastering engineer brings trained ears to a release. Quantara gives you a fast, transparent mastering chain tuned for Broadcast TV: try it with a free account (1 export with a watermark), then unlimited on the Pro plan at €8.99/month. It is a strong, measurable starting point, not a replacement for a trained engineer's ears on a critical release.
Quantara Music masters with its own engine — no AI model. The Broadcast TV starting point is fully adjustable in real time, and every change shows on real LUFS, true-peak and gain-reduction meters, so you can verify what it does.
Quantara Music gives you full control: adjust every control in real time, hear the difference with A/B bypass, and export when you're satisfied. Mastering runs entirely in your browser: your files are not uploaded for mastering.
FAQ — Broadcast TV mastering
Yes — master and preview in the studio; a free account includes 1 export with a watermark, no credit card. Exports without a watermark come with Pay Per Track, Pro or Studio. Unlimited exports are available on the Pro plan.
Use -23.0 LUFS integrated as a reference and keep true peak under -1 dBTP. Master for the song first; most streaming platforms normalise playback, so the reference matters more than chasing a loud number.
Upload WAV, FLAC or MP3 up to 500MB. Export WAV, FLAC or MP3, depending on your plan, normalised toward the Broadcast TV reference with true-peak-safe limiting.
Ready to master your track for Broadcast TV?
Free account: 1 export with a watermark — no credit card required
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