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audio levels

How to Set Audio Levels for an Indian FM Radio Feed Streamed to YouTube

A practical guide to routing an Indian FM radio feed to YouTube Live, choosing encoder settings, preserving headroom, and troubleshooting level problems.

By DocumentaryTube Team 5 min read
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For an Indian FM radio feed on YouTube, set levels at the streaming encoder from a clean, compatible stereo program feed; measure both perceived loudness and true peaks; preserve headroom; and test the complete route with speech, music, jingles, and transitions. YouTube recommends AAC or MP3, 44.1 kHz stereo, and 128 kbps stereo audio, but its published live-encoder guidance does not specify a required incoming LUFS target. FM transmission processing, the encoder’s input level, and YouTube’s viewer-side playback processing are separate stages.

What loudness target should you use?

YouTube’s published live-encoder settings specify encoding parameters, not a required integrated loudness target. Do not treat −14 LUFS or −23 LUFS as a YouTube livestream requirement. The practical target is a clean, consistent online feed that retains headroom and sounds right in representative listening tests.

The European Broadcasting Union’s EBU R 128 version 5.0 (November 2023) recommends an average programme loudness of −23 LUFS and the use of Loudness Range and Maximum True Peak Level descriptors. That is European broadcast guidance, not a YouTube rule or an established requirement for Indian stations.

EBU R 128 s3 (2023), which addresses radio distribution, says that when distribution loudness differs from −23.0 LUFS, it should generally be selected within −20.0 to −16.0 LUFS. It also recommends separate conditioning for digital distribution to avoid the disadvantages of FM processing. These figures are useful engineering references, not evidence of a binding target for an Indian FM simulcast on YouTube.

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The available sources do not establish a current Indian regulation specifically setting loudness for an FM feed streamed to YouTube. A 2019 ITU regional training presentation described the situation at that time; it is not a basis for claiming what Indian rules require today.

Choose the right point in the station’s signal path

Before changing gain, identify what the encoder actually receives. A station’s FM transmission path may include processing intended for broadcast modulation, while the online encoder needs a compatible, clean program signal. A meter on the FM chain does not tell you the correct level at the encoder input.

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Feed point What to check Practical consideration
Clean program output Connector type, output format, reference level, loudness, true peaks, noise, and stereo integrity. Often the clearest starting point if it is available and can be monitored independently.
Separate digital-distribution output Whether it is conditioned independently of the FM transmission chain and whether its digital interface and reference match the encoder. EBU radio guidance supports separate conditioning for digital distribution rather than automatically reusing FM processing.
Post-FM-processor output or off-air receiver Existing limiting or other FM-specific processing, possible pumping or distortion, noise, stereo integrity, and consistency across source changes. It may already be heavily processed. Listen and meter it before adding further compression or limiting.

Connection details depend on the station’s equipment. Confirm whether the output is balanced analog or AES/EBU digital, and whether the encoder input expects line level, mic level, or a digital interface. Connector shape alone does not establish compatibility. Prasar Bharati’s Audio Processor/11/January/2023-D specification illustrates why: it 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 online loudness targets.

Set up and verify the encoder feed

  1. Trace the source. Identify the exact output feeding the encoder: clean program, separately conditioned digital distribution, post-FM processor, or off-air receiver. Prefer a clean or independently conditioned digital-distribution path when available.
  2. Match the interface and level. Confirm analog versus digital, balanced versus unbalanced where relevant, and the source and input reference levels. Use the station and encoder equipment specifications; do not solve a mismatch by turning up gain blindly.
  3. Check gain at each stage. Monitor the source output, capture or interface input, and encoder meter. Keep headroom and prevent digital clipping anywhere in the chain. A level that is clean at the source can still overload the interface or encoder input.
  4. Measure loudness and true peaks. Use loudness measurement to assess perceived programme level over time and a true-peak meter to assess peaks. A conventional peak meter alone does not describe perceived loudness. EBU R 128 uses programme loudness and maximum true-peak descriptors.
  5. Use restrained processing. If the feed has already passed through FM processing, listen for pumping, harshness, and clipped transients before adding compression or limiting. If a clean separate feed exists, condition it independently for online delivery rather than stacking aggressive processing on the FM output.
  6. Set YouTube audio encoding. For stereo, YouTube’s live encoder guidance recommends AAC or MP3, 44.1 kHz sampling, and 128 kbps audio. These are encoding settings, not a loudness prescription.
  7. Test the complete route. Before the live event, include speech, music, station IDs, jingles, and transitions. Check the Live Control Room preview, monitor stream health and messages, and listen in the actual YouTube player on another device. YouTube advises testing with audio and movement similar to the planned stream and monitoring quality.
  8. Change one thing at a time. If clipping occurs, lower gain at the stage that is overloading. If levels vary unexpectedly, inspect source switching and processor behavior rather than boosting the whole feed. If the stream is clean but too quiet, raise output cautiously while retaining true-peak headroom, then repeat the test.

Diagnose distortion, pumping, and inconsistent volume

  • Distortion or clipped transients: Find which point in the route is overloading, then reduce gain there. Check the source output, interface input, and encoder meter rather than relying on only one meter.
  • Pumping or harshness: Suspect processing already present in the FM path before adding another compressor or limiter. Compare with a clean or separately conditioned feed if the station can provide one.
  • Unexpected jumps between programmes or sources: Inspect switching points and processor behavior, and test the transitions themselves. Raising the overall level will not correct inconsistent source levels.
  • Clean signal that sounds too quiet: Confirm the route is not attenuated by an input/reference-level mismatch. Increase output cautiously and recheck loudness and true peaks through the actual YouTube player.
  • Encoder audio that differs from the source: Verify interface compatibility and compare monitoring at the source, capture input, encoder, and YouTube playback. Change only the stage supported by those checks.

Account for YouTube playback behavior

YouTube’s Stable volume feature balances quiet and loud portions for supported videos. It is on by default, but is not available on every video and is off for YouTube Music and official music videos. This viewer-side behavior may affect perceived playback, but it cannot fix clipping, poor gain staging, or excessive processing upstream.

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Keep the YouTube channel live without leaving the encoder computer on

If you want to keep a YouTube channel live using uploaded recordings rather than a live FM audio input, StreamNeo is a cloud option: upload a recording or build a playlist, add the YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops uploaded video from the cloud, so your computer and home connection do not need to stay on. It does not take a live camera feed or replace the audio routing and level-setting steps above.

Or let it run in the cloud

  1. Upload the recording or build a playlist.
  2. Add your YouTube stream key once.
  3. Go live; StreamNeo loops the uploaded videos from the cloud.

There is no computer to leave running at home; each slot streams uploaded quality as supplied up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, rather than using quality tiers; and StreamNeo automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. Start the free day on StreamNeo.

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