Loudness targets · Streaming
Amazon Music loudness target: −14 LUFS, −2 dBTP
Amazon Music's playback reference is about −14 LUFS integrated, the same as Spotify. The difference is the peak ceiling: −2 dBTP, one dB lower than most of the streaming table.
What Amazon Music does with your master
Amazon Music normalizes playback towards about −14 LUFS integrated. A louder master is turned down by the difference, so a −9 LUFS master plays about 5 dB below what you sent. In loudness terms, Amazon Music behaves much like Spotify, YouTube and Tidal.
The number that stands out is the ceiling. Amazon's recommendation is to keep true peak at or below −2 dBTP, where most music services in the table say −1 dBTP. That makes Amazon the strictest peak ceiling in the streaming group.
Why the extra dB of headroom
Your master is a PCM file. Most listeners don't hear that file; they hear a lossy encode of it, decoded on a phone, a speaker or a car stereo. Lossy encoders remove and reshape content, and the decoded waveform can peak higher than the original, especially on dense, heavily limited material. Those peaks can clip in the decoder or the device's output stage.
A −1 dBTP ceiling catches most of this. A −2 dBTP ceiling gives more margin for the loud masters that need it most. Amazon Music also plays through a wide range of devices, including smart speakers, where you have little control over what happens after the decode. For the mechanics, see true peak explained.
What to aim for
- Measure integrated loudness over the whole track. Expect a turn-down equal to how far you are above −14 LUFS.
- Set your limiter's true-peak ceiling to −2 dBTP if you want one master that meets Amazon's recommendation as well as everyone else's. A master that meets −2 also meets −1.
- Check true peak, not sample peak. A limiter set to −2 dBFS sample peak can still produce inter-sample peaks above −2 dBTP. Use a true-peak limiter or meter.
For most releases, giving up one dB of peak level costs nothing audible on a normalized service. The track is turned to −14 LUFS either way.
Targets change
Amazon revises its guidance from time to time, and listener settings and devices vary. The figures here match the Amazon Music target built into MixOutpost at the time of writing. Check Amazon's current artist or distributor guidance before a critical release.
Checking Amazon Music loudness with MixOutpost
MixOutpost measures on your iPhone, from exactly what your Mac sends, while the session plays.
- 01
Stream your master bus
Insert the MixOutpost plugin last on the master, after your limiter, and press Start Sharing. Pair your iPhone once with a QR code.
- 02
Open Loudness and pick Amazon Music
You'll see momentary, short-term and integrated LUFS, LRA, true peak and maxima. With Amazon Music selected, the app shows how many dB Amazon would turn the track down.
- 03
Watch true-peak max
Reset, play the whole song, and check the true-peak maximum against −2 dBTP. It measures what the Mac sends, before Listen as, Dim, Mute or phone volume.
Amazon Music compared with other services
| Service | Integrated | True peak |
|---|---|---|
| Spotify | −14 LUFS | −1 dBTP |
| Apple Music | −16 LUFS | −1 dBTP |
| YouTube | −14 LUFS | −1 dBTP |
| Amazon Music | −14 LUFS | −2 dBTP |
| Tidal | −14 LUFS | −1 dBTP |
| Deezer | −15 LUFS | −1 dBTP |
See every target, including TV, film and podcasts, on the loudness targets page.
Questions
What LUFS does Amazon Music use?
About −14 LUFS integrated. That's the reference MixOutpost uses for Amazon Music. Louder masters are turned down by the difference when normalization applies.
Why is Amazon Music's true-peak ceiling −2 dBTP?
A lower ceiling leaves more room for peaks that appear when audio is encoded to lossy formats and decoded on a listener's device. Loud, dense masters are the most likely to overshoot, so an extra dB of headroom reduces the risk of clipping on playback.
Do I need a separate master for Amazon Music?
Usually not. If your master already peaks at or below −2 dBTP, it covers Amazon and every other service in the table. If it peaks at −1 dBTP, decide whether that last dB is worth a second version.
Does a −2 dBTP ceiling make my master quieter?
Only by as much as your limiter has to work harder, and on a normalized service that barely matters: the track is turned to −14 LUFS either way. The ceiling mostly affects how much the limiter shapes transients.
Hear your mix on your phone
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