Skip to content
Search/
Home › Glossary › Game assets

How are sound effect levels measured (peak and LUFS)?

Game assets glossary · 1 primary source

How loud sound files are, measured either by their highest sample (peak, in dBFS) or by perceived loudness over time (LUFS / LKFS, defined by ITU-R BS.1770).

Peak tells you whether a file can clip: 0 dBFS is the digital maximum, so packs often normalise to about −1 dBFS to leave headroom. Loudness (LUFS) tells you how loud it sounds; two files with the same peak can differ a lot in loudness.

Sounds from mixed sources rarely match. Level them to a common target before import, then balance categories (UI, footsteps, explosions, music) with buses in the engine rather than per file.

Sources

Related terms

On this site

All game assets terms · Full glossary

Free: the Free API Starter Kit

Copy-paste calls for 4 APIs with free daily tiers (CVE priority, VIN recalls, US duty rates, email checks), then 5 short emails on KEV/EPSS, MCP and free data.

You get one email to confirm first. Then the kit, and 5 short emails over two weeks. One-click unsubscribe in every email; we never share your address.