Make Your Podcast Louder Online
Raw podcast recordings are too quiet for streaming platforms. Bring your episodes to -16 LUFS with compression, EQ, and true peak limiting — right in your browser, no software to install.
Upload a file · Boost, EQ, export · 100% in your browser
You have recorded a great podcast episode. The conversation was compelling, the audio is clean, and the edit is tight. You upload it to your host, publish it on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, press play on your phone — and it sounds noticeably quieter than every other show in your feed. Listeners are reaching for the volume button, or worse, skipping to something louder. This is the single most common problem in independent podcast production, and it has a precise technical cause: your episode's integrated loudness is too low.
Streaming platforms have loudness standards. Apple Podcasts recommends -16 LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale) with a true peak ceiling of -1 dBTP. Spotify targets -14 LUFS for podcasts (the same as music). When your raw recording comes in at -24 to -30 LUFS — typical for a USB microphone recorded in a home office — it sits 8-14 dB below platform targets. That is a massive perceptual difference: every 10 dB represents roughly a halving of perceived loudness. Your episode sounds half as loud as a professionally produced show, and no amount of post-publish tinkering with your host's settings can fix it.
The solution is loudness normalization — a combination of gain staging, dynamic range compression, and peak limiting that raises the average loudness of your audio to the target level without introducing clipping or distortion. This is exactly what mastering engineers do at the final stage of professional podcast production, and it is exactly what Hearably Studio does in your browser. Upload your episode, and the tool measures its integrated loudness, applies multiband compression to tighten the dynamic range, boosts the gain to reach -16 LUFS, and runs the output through a look-ahead limiter that catches every transient peak before it exceeds -1 dBTP.
The technical challenge in making a podcast louder is not simply turning up the volume. If you raise the gain by 10 dB on a raw recording, the loudest moments — a laugh, a desk bump, a plosive — will clip hard at 0 dBFS while the quiet moments are still too soft. Compression solves this by reducing the gap between loud and quiet: a 3:1 ratio compressor with a -24 dB threshold gently pushes down peaks while leaving quiet speech untouched, narrowing the dynamic range so that a subsequent gain boost raises everything more evenly. Hearably's 3-band multiband compressor goes further — it applies independent compression to low frequencies (room rumble, handling noise), midrange (voice body and presence), and high frequencies (sibilance, breath sounds), giving you precise control over how each frequency range responds to gain.
The final safeguard is the look-ahead limiter, which operates after all gain staging and compression. It buffers audio for 5 milliseconds and scans ahead for any peak that would exceed the true peak ceiling. When it finds one, it applies smooth gain reduction over the look-ahead window — not an instantaneous hard clip, but a gentle ramp that preserves the waveform shape. The result: your episode hits -16 LUFS integrated loudness with a true peak that never exceeds -1 dBTP — exactly what Apple and Spotify want. All of this runs in your browser via the Web Audio API. Your audio file never leaves your computer, there is no account required, and the full loudness processing chain is available for free.
Understanding LUFS, True Peak, and Why Raw Podcasts Are Too Quiet
LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale) is the international standard for measuring perceived loudness, defined by ITU-R BS.1770. Unlike peak level or RMS, LUFS applies a K-weighting filter that models human hearing sensitivity — we perceive midrange frequencies as louder than bass or extreme treble at equal amplitude. Integrated LUFS measures the average perceived loudness over the entire duration of a file, gating out silence. This is the number that streaming platforms care about: Apple Podcasts targets -16 LUFS, Spotify targets -14 LUFS.
Raw podcast recordings from USB microphones (Blue Yeti, Audio-Technica AT2020USB, Rode NT-USB) typically measure between -24 and -30 LUFS integrated. This is because condenser microphones have high sensitivity but are recorded at conservative gain levels to avoid clipping, and home recording environments lack the acoustic treatment that raises the signal-to-noise ratio. The result is technically clean audio that is far too quiet for comfortable listening alongside professionally mastered content.
True peak (dBTP) measures the actual maximum sample value after inter-sample reconstruction — not just the highest digital sample, but the continuous waveform between samples. A file can have a peak sample of -1.0 dBFS but a true peak of +0.5 dBTP due to inter-sample peaks that only appear after digital-to-analog conversion. Streaming platforms specify true peak limits (typically -1 dBTP) because exceeding 0 dBTP causes audible distortion on listeners' devices. Hearably's look-ahead limiter operates on the reconstructed waveform, not just discrete samples, ensuring true peak compliance. The combination of LUFS normalization and true peak limiting is the standard mastering chain for broadcast and streaming audio — Hearably brings this professional workflow to any podcaster with a browser.
How to get the best audio on Make Your Podcast Louder Online
Target -16 LUFS for Apple Podcasts compatibility
Apple Podcasts explicitly recommends -16 LUFS integrated loudness with a -1 dBTP true peak ceiling. This is the safest universal target — Spotify's -14 LUFS recommendation is louder, but -16 LUFS content plays well on both platforms without triggering normalization penalties.
Fix uneven interview levels with compression
Remote interviews are the worst offender for level mismatches: your microphone is loud and clear, your guest's Zoom audio is 10 dB quieter with audible compression artifacts. Hearably's multiband compressor tightens the dynamic range, bringing the quiet guest closer to your level without squashing your voice.
Use the mid-band EQ to enhance vocal presence
Podcast voice clarity lives in the 2-5 kHz range. A gentle +2 to +3 dB boost at 2 kHz and 4 kHz adds presence and intelligibility without sounding harsh. Cut 250-500 Hz by 1-2 dB to reduce muddiness from proximity effect if you record close to the microphone.
Process after editing, not before
Always apply loudness processing as the final step, after all editing, noise removal, and mixing is complete. Processing raw audio and then editing can cause level discontinuities at edit points. The loudness target should reflect the finished episode.
Listen on earbuds before publishing
Most podcast listeners use earbuds or AirPods. After processing, listen to a segment on earbuds at a comfortable volume. If dialogue is clear without cranking the volume, your loudness is correct. If you need to turn up significantly, your integrated LUFS is still too low.
Handle solo vs. multi-host episodes differently
Solo episodes have consistent dynamics and need less compression — a 2:1 ratio is usually sufficient. Multi-host or interview episodes have wider dynamic range and benefit from 3:1 or 4:1 compression to keep all voices at similar perceived loudness.
Do not over-compress to chase loudness
Compression ratios above 6:1 make speech sound unnatural — flat, fatiguing, and robotic. If you cannot reach -16 LUFS with moderate compression, increase the gain boost instead and let the look-ahead limiter handle the peaks. The limiter is transparent; heavy compression is not.
Built for this exact use case
Integrated LUFS Measurement
See your episode's integrated loudness in real time. Know exactly how far you are from the -16 LUFS target before and after processing. No guessing, no external metering tools needed.
Multiband Compression
3-band Linkwitz-Riley crossover with independent compressors for lows, mids, and highs. Tighten dynamics without flattening your voice. Control room rumble, vocal body, and sibilance separately.
True Peak Limiter
Look-ahead limiter with 5ms buffer catches every transient before it exceeds -1 dBTP. Smooth gain ramps preserve waveform shape — no hard clipping, no audible artifacts. Meets broadcast loudness standards.
100% Local Processing
Your podcast audio never leaves your computer. No server uploads, no cloud processing, no account required. Unreleased episodes and confidential interviews stay completely private.
Choose your method
Different situations call for different tools. Hearably gives you both.
Chrome Extension
Enhance audio live while you stream. The extension intercepts your tab's audio and processes it in real-time — volume boost, EQ, presets — without downloading anything.
- Streaming on Make Your Podcast Louder Online, Netflix, Spotify
- Video calls on Zoom, Meet, Teams
- Any website with audio
- When you want instant, always-on enhancement
Free Online Studio
Upload an audio or video file, apply volume boost + 10-band EQ, preview in real-time, then download the enhanced WAV. Your file never leaves your browser.
- Downloaded videos or music files
- Podcast episodes you want to boost before sharing
- Voice recordings, lectures, interviews
- When you need a permanently enhanced file
Pro tip: Use a YouTube-to-MP3 tool to download the audio, then enhance it in Hearably Studio with EQ + volume boost. Perfect for offline listening, DJ sets, or sharing on social media.
Three clicks to better audio
Install
Add Hearably from the Chrome Web Store. Under 300KB, installs in seconds.
Enhance
Click the Hearably icon and tap "Enhance." Boost kicks in instantly.
Enjoy
Adjust volume, EQ, and presets. Works on any website with audio.
Frequently asked questions
What loudness should my podcast be?
Apple Podcasts recommends -16 LUFS integrated loudness with a true peak ceiling of -1 dBTP. Spotify targets -14 LUFS. Targeting -16 LUFS is the safest choice — it meets both platforms' requirements and sounds comfortable on earbuds and speakers alike.
Why is my podcast quieter than other shows?
Raw recordings from USB microphones typically measure -24 to -30 LUFS — 8 to 14 dB below platform targets. Without loudness normalization (compression + gain + limiting), your episode will always sound significantly quieter than professionally mastered shows.
Will making my podcast louder cause distortion?
Not with Hearably Studio. The look-ahead limiter catches every peak 5 milliseconds before it would clip, applying smooth gain reduction instead of hard clipping. Your output stays below -1 dBTP true peak regardless of how much gain you add.
What is the difference between LUFS and dB?
dB (decibels) measures signal amplitude — how loud a single moment is. LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale) measures perceived average loudness over time, weighted to match human hearing sensitivity. A file can have high peak dB levels but low LUFS if it has quiet passages. Streaming platforms care about LUFS, not peak dB.
Should I normalize each episode to the same LUFS?
Yes. Consistent loudness across episodes is critical for listener experience. If episode 47 is 6 dB louder than episode 46, listeners have to adjust their volume between episodes. Target -16 LUFS for every episode to maintain consistency.
Can I process a remote guest's audio separately?
Yes. If you have separate tracks for each speaker (common with Riverside, Zencastr, or SquadCast), process each track individually with settings optimized for that speaker's microphone and level. Then mix them in your DAW before a final loudness pass on the mixed file.
Do I need to install any software?
No. Hearably Studio runs entirely in your browser. Drag and drop your audio file, adjust the settings, and download the enhanced version. Works on any computer with Chrome or Edge — Mac, Windows, Linux, or Chromebook.
Is this free?
The full loudness processing chain — volume boost, 10-band EQ, multiband compressor, and look-ahead limiter — is free for individual files with WAV export. Pro unlocks MP3 export, batch processing for multiple episodes, A/B preview, and manual compressor threshold/ratio controls.