What loudness should you target for Podcast?
Apple Podcasts asks for overall loudness around -16 LKFS (the ITU name for the same scale as LUFS), within plus or minus 1 dB, and for true peak no higher than -1 dBFS. Prioritise intelligibility: a high-pass around 80-100 Hz removes rumble, gentle compression evens out levels, and a true-peak limiter keeps lossy encoding clean.
When you export from Quantara targeting Podcast, the engine measures your master's integrated loudness (ITU-R BS.1770 / EBU R128), normalises it toward the -16.0 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.
Apple Podcasts audio requirements
Loudness: around -16 LKFS, with a tolerance of plus or minus 1 dB.
True peak: no higher than -1 dBFS.
Files for RSS feeds: MP3 or AAC, and Apple strongly recommends AAC. For stereo at 44.1 or 48 kHz, Apple recommends 128-256 kbps.
Files for Apple Podcasts Connect: WAV, FLAC or MP3; WAV and FLAC files must be stereo, MP3 can be mono or stereo.
Source: Audio requirements, Apple Podcasts for Creators.
Voice first
Speech is judged on clarity, not on punch: check every episode on phone speakers and earbuds, where harsh sibilance and a boomy voice are easy to hear.
Keep music beds under the voice: a bed at the same loudness as the speech makes the speech harder to follow, even when the integrated loudness is on target.
How to master your track for Podcast
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 Podcast preset
Click the Podcast target. The mastering chain starts from a -16.0 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 Podcast master in the format your plan includes (WAV, FLAC or MP3), normalised toward -16.0 LUFS with true-peak limiting at -1 dBTP.
Genres to pair with Podcast
Genre starting points to pair with the Podcast target: Podcast, Acoustic, Ambient. Each genre has its own frequency balance and dynamics, so treat the preset as a starting point and fine-tune by ear.
Why master Podcast with Quantara?
A mastering engineer brings trained ears to a release. Quantara gives you a fast, transparent mastering chain tuned for Podcast: 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 Podcast 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 — Podcast 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 -16.0 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 Podcast reference with true-peak-safe limiting.
Apple Podcasts asks for overall loudness around -16 LKFS, within plus or minus 1 dB, with true peak no higher than -1 dBFS.
Yes. Both name the same loudness scale defined in ITU-R BS.1770: LKFS is the ITU name, LUFS the EBU name.
For RSS feeds, Apple Podcasts accepts MP3 or AAC and strongly recommends AAC; for stereo at 44.1 or 48 kHz it recommends 128-256 kbps.
Ready to master your track for Podcast?
Free account: 1 export with a watermark — no credit card required
Open Quantara Studio →