ONLINE STREAMING SPECIFICATIONS
SPOTIFY
Target(s): Normal -14, Loud -11, Quiet -23
Algo: LUFS (integrated). Transitioned from ReplayGain in December 2020.
Level raise: Y (up to a peak level of -1dBFS)
Limiting: Y (in loud mode only)
Album Mode: Y (always)
Codec:
Desktop - Ogg Vorbis 160kbps (premium users 320kbps)
Web Player - AAC 128kbps (premium 256kbps )
iPhone/iPad/Android: Ogg Vorbis, user selectable-
normal 96kbps, high 160kbps, extreme 320kbps, automatic (dependent on network connection)
Chromecast - AAC 128kbps (premium 256kbps)
*may play locally stored versions of tracks rather than streaming when preference set to import Windows Media Player or iTunes libraries (hence no loudness normalisation)
*normalisation only works in desktop or mobile app when "Advanced Settings>Playback>Set the same volume level for all songs" or "Settings>Music Quality>Normalise volume - set the same volume level for all tracks" are selected. No normalisation on web player.
YOUTUBE
Target: -14 (changed from -13 in September 2019)
Algo: LUFS (integrated)
Level raise: N
Limiting: N
Album Mode: N
Codec: AAC (determined by video quality)
64kbps(240p), 128kbps(360p/480p) and 192kbps(720p+)
Opus (WebM only)
Right click, select “stats for nerds” will show video specs including “Volume / Normalised” information as a percentage of original / dB adjustment
*YouTube loudness normalisation appears to be applied in a random fashion. Sometimes normalisation is applied almost immediately after uploading. In other cases it can take weeks before normalisation comes into effect. There are many audio related videos that do not appear to have had loudness normalisation applied.
AMAZON MUSIC
Target: -14
Algo: LUFS (integrated)
Level raise: N
Limiting: N
Album Mode: Unknown
Codec: FLAC (HD = 16bit, 44.1kHz minimum; Ultra HD = 24bit, 44.1 - 192kHz)
TIDAL
Target: -14 (-18 for AirPlay playback)
Algo: LUFS (integrated)
Level raise: N
Limiting: N
Album Mode: Y
Codec: up to FLAC 1411kbps
APPLE MUSIC
Target: -16
Algo: SoundCheck (must be switched on)
Level raise: Y (to peak level)
Limiting: N
Album Mode: Y
Codec: AAC 256kbps
iTUNES RADIO
Target: -16
Algo: Soundcheck
Level raise: Y (to peak level)
Limiting: N
Album Mode: Y
Codec: AAC 256kbps
SOUNDCLOUD
Target: N/A
Algo: N/A
Level raise: N/A
Limiting: N/A
Album Mode: N/A
Codec: Opus 64kbps (changed from 128kbps mp3 in 2018)
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