For an Indian FM radio feed streamed to YouTube, set levels by measuring the online signal path—not by copying an FM processor setting or assuming YouTube requires a particular LUFS value. Use a clean stereo program or separately conditioned digital output where possible, check both loudness and true peaks, preserve headroom, then test representative programming in the actual YouTube player.
Keep the three level stages separate
An FM-to-YouTube chain can involve three different behaviors: processing and modulation for the FM transmission, the signal level entering the streaming encoder, and playback processing applied by YouTube for some viewers. A meter or setting at one stage does not automatically define the target at another.
- FM processing and modulation: The station’s broadcast chain may use processing intended for terrestrial transmission.
- Encoder input: This is the stereo program signal the capture device or encoder receives. Set and monitor its gain independently.
- YouTube playback: YouTube’s Stable volume feature may balance quiet and loud sections on supported videos. It is on by default, but is not available on every video and is off for YouTube Music and official music videos. It cannot correct clipping or poor gain staging upstream. YouTube Help explains Stable volume.
The practical objective is consistent, clear playback without digital clipping, pumping, or abrupt level changes. There is no mandatory incoming LUFS target in the cited YouTube live-encoder guidance.
Choose the right station feed
First identify exactly where the encoder’s audio comes from. The preferred path is usually a clean program output or a separately conditioned digital-distribution output that can be monitored independently of the FM chain. EBU radio guidance recommends separate conditioning for digital distribution to avoid disadvantages from FM processing; this is useful engineering guidance, not a rule specific to Indian stations or YouTube. EBU R 128 and its supplements provide the relevant loudness and radio-streaming guidance.
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| Feed point | What to check | Practical consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Clean program output | Connector type, reference level, stereo integrity, loudness and true peaks | Often a good starting point because it can avoid FM-specific processing; verify that the output is genuinely clean. |
| Separately conditioned digital-distribution output | Its processing, output level, codec or digital interface, and monitoring access | Allows online conditioning to be set independently from the FM transmission path. |
| Post-FM-processor or off-air receiver output | Existing limiting or other processing, clipping, noise, distortion, stereo quality and level consistency | It may already carry aggressive FM processing. Listen before adding more compression or limiting; an off-air receiver also includes the receiver path in the signal being streamed. |
Confirm whether the station output is balanced analog or AES/EBU digital, and whether the encoder input expects line level, microphone level, or a digital interface. Do not connect equipment just because the plugs fit. For example, Prasar Bharati’s January 2023 Audio Processor specification describes an analog stereo output adjustable from −4 dBu to +20 dBu peak at 100% peak modulation, as well as a stereo AES/EBU input and variable digital input reference level. Those are equipment interface specifications, not an online loudness target. Prasar Bharati’s Audio Processor specification is specific to that equipment.
Set gain and measure the online signal
- Trace the full path. Identify the source output, cables or digital connection, capture/interface input, and encoder input. Determine where any gain controls or processing occur.
- Check levels at each stage. Watch the source, interface and encoder meters while playing both typical and loud material. Keep the signal below digital full scale at every digital stage; if a stage overloads, lower gain there rather than trying to repair the sound downstream.
- Measure loudness as well as peaks. Use a loudness meter to assess programme loudness and short-term changes, and a true-peak meter to check peak level. A peak meter alone does not tell you how loud the programme sounds overall. EBU R 128 uses programme loudness and maximum true-peak descriptors as part of its broadcast loudness framework.
- Listen for processing artifacts. Check speech, music and transitions for harshness, pumping, clipped transients and sudden changes. If the signal has already passed through FM processing, do not add another aggressive compressor or limiter without a clear reason.
- Make small, evidence-led changes. If the encoder input clips, reduce the gain at the point where the overload occurs. If loudness changes unexpectedly, inspect source switching or processor behavior before boosting the entire feed. If the stream is clean but too quiet in listening tests, raise the online output cautiously while preserving true-peak headroom.
What loudness target should you use?
YouTube’s published live-encoder recommendations specify audio encoding settings, but the cited guidance does not specify an incoming integrated LUFS target. Do not treat −14 LUFS as a YouTube livestream requirement, and do not present −23 LUFS as one either. Choose a consistent online level by measuring the signal, retaining headroom, and listening to representative material in the YouTube player.
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If your station uses EBU R 128 as a technical reference, label the figures accordingly: EBU R 128 version 5.0, published in November 2023, recommends average programme loudness of −23 LUFS and the use of Loudness Range and Maximum True Peak Level descriptors. EBU R 128 s3 (2023) says radio distribution loudness that differs from −23.0 LUFS should generally be chosen within −20.0 to −16.0 LUFS, recommends separate conditioning for digital distribution, and directs radio streaming to follow EBU R 128 s2. These are EBU recommendations and engineering context, not YouTube requirements or established Indian legal targets. Read the EBU R 128 publications.
The available evidence does not establish a current Indian regulation or broadcaster policy prescribing a LUFS target specifically for an FM feed streamed to YouTube. A historical 2019 ITU regional training presentation is not sufficient to make a present-day legal claim.
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Configure YouTube’s stereo audio settings
For a stereo live stream, YouTube’s encoder guidance recommends AAC or MP3 audio, a 44.1 kHz sample rate, and 128 kbps stereo audio. These are encoding recommendations, not loudness targets. Check YouTube’s current live encoder settings when configuring the encoder, since interface options can vary by software.
Test the complete chain before going live
- Prepare a test that includes speech, music, station IDs, jingles, and transitions, with movement in the video similar to the planned stream.
- Start a private or otherwise appropriate test stream using the intended source routing and encoder settings.
- Check the Live Control Room preview and stream-health messages. YouTube recommends testing with representative audio and movement before the event and monitoring quality during the stream. See YouTube’s encoder guidance and live streaming tips.
- Listen to the actual YouTube player on a separate device. Compare it with the source feed and check for distortion, pumping, stereo problems, level jumps and delays that affect the intended presentation.
- Monitor loudness and true peaks at the encoder input while the test runs. Correct the stage causing any problem, then repeat the test after each meaningful change.
Troubleshoot common problems
| Symptom | Likely causes to check | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Harsh, crackling or distorted sound | Clipping at the source, interface or encoder input; an output feeding an incompatible input level | Find which stage overloads, reduce its gain, and verify line/mic or digital compatibility. Retest the loudest content. |
| Music or speech pumps in level | FM processing already present, followed by additional compression or limiting; changing source or processor behavior | Listen to the feed before online processing. Remove or ease redundant processing where possible, and investigate switching or processor settings. |
| Some programmes are much quieter than others | Different source levels, inconsistent routing, or a processor behavior change | Measure and listen across representative segments. Correct the inconsistent source or routing rather than indiscriminately raising overall gain. |
| One channel is weak, missing or noisy | Incorrect stereo wiring, connection mismatch, or a problem in the source/interface path | Check left and right channels separately at the source, interface and encoder. Confirm the connection format and test the cable or input path. |
| The encoder meters look fine but YouTube playback sounds different | Viewer-side playback behavior, including Stable volume on supported videos, or a difference between the monitored source and player | Listen in the actual player on another device and compare it with the source. Do not rely on playback normalization to repair upstream clipping or inconsistent routing. |
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