RMS, LUFS & Peak Level

QUESTION
Is possible keep RMS -20 in Step #1
While adjusting LUFS to -9 in Step #2
Export RMS -20, LUFS -9 & Peak Level -0.2 in Step #3 ?

SOFTWARE
Cubase Pro 14
Klanghelm RMS Meter
Youlean Meter
FabFilter Pro L2

THE TASK
Begin with two mixed 2-STEMS of Audio
a) One Dialogue
b) One Music

STEP #1

  1. SENDS to BUS 1.
  2. INSERT RMS Meter.
  3. ADJUST Volume Shader to RMS to -20

STEP #2
4. Sends to BUS 2.
5. INSERT FabFilter Pro L2
6. INSERT Youlean Meter
7. ADJUST the LUFS -9
8. SET the Peak Level -0.2

STEP #3
9. Sends to BUS 3.
10. INSERT FabFilter Pro Q4
11. Sends to STEREO OUT
12. Done!

I believe if the final export is RMS -20, LUFS -9 & Peak Level -0.2
The audio quality should be excellent on YouTube!
It will sneak past the volume police & shine, yes or no?

Most of that makes little sense to me.

Are you saying that you are sending your two source tracks into first the “step 1” path then in series into the next path, “step 2”, and then “step 3”? If so I really don’t understand why you would use different loudness measurements. Why use RMS if you are going to use LUFS later?

Also, you should really have your final metering at the end of the chain. Depending on what you do with your EQ in the final step you can really change the output level. Have a brickwall limiter as the last dynamic process and follow that with metering so you know exactly what you get.

If those are three different paths in parallel then I understand even less.

Lastly, doesn’t YouTube automatically normalize when you upload? So if you hit -9LUFS YouTube will just drop the level to whatever normal is, like -14 LUFS or whatever… ? If that’s the case what’s the point in pushing it to -9? All you’re doing is losing 5LU dynamic range and ending up with the same loudness.

What’s this for anyway?

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You’re right - forget the RMS - looks like I have to play by the YouTube rules with LUFS -14 & Peak Level -1
I thought I’d found a way to get louder clearer audio by reducing the RMS - however - it appears that the LIMITER will corrupt my RMS setting - defeating my purpose - sadly, I don’t see how to get LUFS -9 & RMS -20 at the same time at EXPORT.

You might want to have a closer look at how RMS and LUFS work. Everything else is getting you nowhere I’m afraid.
It is kind of a rabbit hole but no rocket science. I’m sure you will wrap your head around the concept of loudness and its measurement with LUFS.

That’s because both RMS and LUFS are measuring a volume average over time. They just do it a bit differently.

Most streaming services employ some form of normalization. The purpose is to keep content playing at similar loudness levels to avoid the listener from getting blasted and constantly having to adjust the volume on their end. All this does is lowering the volume of your content if the platform finds that it’s too loud. It doesn’t change the audio quality and the end user can still adjust the level to their liking by turning their volume knob up or down.
My recommendation is to master the audio so that it sounds as good as it can get and don’t worry about what streaming platforms do in terms of normalization.

I would just forget about RMS. In most broadcast and streaming that I am aware of the standard is LUFS, not RMS. RMS is “old” and pretty much obsolete at this point.

Supervision also offers other tools that can be really helpful if you want to get into the details of the levels of your content. (Although it should be enough if it sounds good and LUFS and True Peak are on target)

There is a plugin that I have found useful for what you’re looking for, called Streamliner

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Another free and well established alternative to check how your mix translates to various platforms online is Loudness Penalty Check.

While your at it, check out Ian Shepherd. He raised awareness of the Loudness war with the so called annual Dynamic Range Day.

Check him out for Loudness related topics on YouTube if you want to learn more about it.

And last but not least - you surely want to know who won the Loudness War. And the winner is…
…drumroll

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lol… that’s pretty g-damn funny.

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I actually got one of my test clips up there with a 2.3 - that’s very funny - wish I’d thought of that!

Of course, Dan won the loudness war. It’s a very funny one… love it.

Yes, Dan not only knows his stuff, he can also be very funny. He really got me at the end when I did reach out for my volume control…