Overview: Loudness and music playback

Loudness and music-playback behavior describe the listening level and continuity of a presented audio sequence.

The loudest sample, the perceived programme level and the shape of dynamic changes describe different aspects of listening. Continuous music adds another question: how tracks join and what processing occurs along the output path. This area combines those experiences while keeping level measurement separate from timing and sample preservation.

• Audio loudness
  Audio loudness describes perceived sound strength and how programme measurements relate to peaks, playback gain, and the listening system.

• Loudness measurement and control
  Loudness measurement and control use different methods to describe or adjust programme level and dynamic behavior.

• Music playback behavior
  Music-playback behavior includes track continuity, codec delay, sample preservation and the relationship between speed and pitch.