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To set audio levels for an Indian FM radio feed streamed to YouTube, meter the online signal at the encoder input, keep headroom below digital clipping, and test it through the actual YouTube player with representative programming. YouTube recommends AAC or MP3 audio at 44.1 kHz and 128 kbps for stereo, but its published live-encoder guidance does not specify a required LUFS target. Do not treat an FM processor’s modulation level, the encoder’s input level, and YouTube’s viewer-side volume processing as the same control.
Understand the three levels in the chain
An FM station’s processing and modulation are designed for its broadcast transmission path. The audio level feeding a streaming encoder is a separate point in the chain, and YouTube may also change perceived playback loudness for some viewers. A setting or meter at one point does not establish the correct level at another.
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- FM processing and modulation: Processing used for the FM transmission may include strong level control. Its output may not be an ideal online source.
- Streaming encoder input: This is the signal to set and monitor for the YouTube stream. Check both perceived loudness and true peaks, and prevent overload at every stage.
- YouTube playback: YouTube’s Stable volume feature can balance quiet and loud portions on supported videos. It is on by default, is not available on every video, and is off for YouTube Music and official music videos. It does not correct clipping or poor gain staging upstream. YouTube’s explanation of Stable volume
Choose the best station output for streaming
First identify exactly where the feed to the encoder comes from. Where station routing allows, use a clean program output or a digital-distribution path conditioned separately from the FM transmission path. EBU radio guidance recommends separate conditioning for digital distribution to avoid disadvantages of FM processing; it is engineering guidance, not a rule specific to Indian YouTube streams. EBU R 128 and its radio supplement
| Feed option | What to check | Practical consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Clean program output | Whether it is before FM-specific processing; output format and reference level | Often the preferable starting point if it is clean, stable, and compatible with the encoder input. |
| Separately conditioned digital-distribution output | Its processing, loudness, true peaks, and independent monitoring | Allows online conditioning to be set for distribution without relying on the FM transmission chain. |
| Post-FM-processor output or off-air receiver capture | Existing limiting or other processing, noise, distortion, stereo integrity, and level consistency | Can carry the sound of FM processing or receiver artifacts. Listen and meter it before adding any more compression or limiting. |
Confirm whether the output is balanced analog or AES/EBU digital, and whether the receiving device expects line level, mic level, or a digital input. A connector that fits is not proof that the signal formats or levels match. 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, along with stereo AES/EBU input and a variable digital input reference level. These are equipment interface specifications, not an online loudness target. Prasar Bharati Audio Processor specification
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What LUFS should you use for a YouTube radio livestream?
YouTube’s live-encoder guidance gives audio format and encoding recommendations, not a required incoming integrated loudness figure. Do not treat −14 LUFS as a YouTube live requirement, or present −23 LUFS as one. The available YouTube guidance establishes neither claim. YouTube live encoder settings
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. That is European broadcast loudness guidance—not a YouTube requirement or Indian law. Its radio supplement says that when radio distribution loudness differs from −23.0 LUFS, the level should generally be chosen within −20.0 to −16.0 LUFS. It also recommends separate conditioning for digital distribution and says radio streaming should follow EBU R 128 s2. Those figures are technical references, not a binding target for an Indian station’s YouTube feed. EBU R 128 and its radio supplement
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For your stream, choose a consistent online output level based on loudness and true-peak measurement, headroom, and representative listening tests. The material available here does not establish a current Indian regulation or broadcaster policy that sets a LUFS target specifically for an FM simulcast to YouTube. A 2019 ITU regional training presentation’s statement about standards at that time is historical and does not settle the present-day position. 2019 ITU regional training presentation
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Set the signal level step by step
- Trace the feed point. Record whether the encoder receives a clean program output, a separately conditioned digital feed, a post-FM-processor output, or an off-air receiver capture. Prefer a clean or independently conditioned distribution path if available.
- Verify the interface and reference level. Check the station output type and level against the encoder or audio-interface input specification. Establish whether the connection is analog or AES/EBU digital and whether the input expects line or mic level. Use the equipment documentation rather than relying on connector shape.
- Check gain at every stage. Meter the source output, capture/interface input, and encoder input. Find the point where an overload occurs rather than turning down or boosting unrelated stages. Keep headroom and avoid digital clipping throughout the chain.
- Measure loudness and true peaks. A peak meter alone does not describe perceived programme loudness. Use a loudness meter for integrated and short-term behavior, alongside a true-peak meter. EBU R 128’s loudness and maximum-true-peak descriptors are a useful measurement framework, not a platform-mandated target.
- Listen before adding processing. If the feed has already passed through FM processing, check for pumping, harshness, or clipped transients. Avoid blindly adding another aggressive compressor or limiter. If a separate clean feed is available, condition it independently for online delivery.
- Configure stereo audio encoding. YouTube’s live-encoder guidance recommends AAC or MP3, 44.1 kHz sample rate, and 128 kbps for stereo audio. These are encoding recommendations; they do not set the feed’s loudness. YouTube live encoder settings
- Run a representative test. Include speech, music, station IDs, jingles, and transitions. Check the Live Control Room preview, then listen to the actual YouTube player on another device. Monitor audio and video quality and stream health; YouTube advises testing with audio and movement similar to the planned stream and reviewing stream messages. YouTube streaming tips
- Adjust one stage at a time and retest. Lower gain at the point of overload if the stream clips. If levels vary unexpectedly, inspect source switching and processor behavior before boosting the whole feed. If the signal is clean but too quiet, raise output cautiously while retaining true-peak headroom.
Troubleshoot distortion, pumping, and level changes
| What you hear or see | Likely place to investigate | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Harsh or clipped sound | Any overloaded point: source output, capture/interface input, or encoder input | Check meters along the chain and lower gain at the stage that is clipping. Do not assume a lower YouTube playback volume will repair distorted audio. |
| Music or speech pumps unnaturally | FM processing already present, or additional compression/limiting on the online path | Listen to the source feed and remove or reduce redundant processing where possible; use a separate distribution path if available. |
| Unexpected level jumps between programme elements | Source switching, station IDs, transitions, or changes in processor behavior | Test those elements explicitly, meter loudness and true peaks, and adjust the responsible stage rather than raising the entire feed. |
| Sound is clean but seems too quiet | Online output level or differences in playback conditions | Raise output cautiously, preserve true-peak headroom, and check the actual YouTube player on another device before making further changes. |
| Feed is noisy, distorted, or has poor stereo integrity | Output path, receiver capture, interface compatibility, or connection | Compare against a cleaner station output, verify analog/digital and level compatibility, and listen at more than one monitoring point. |
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StreamNeo is a separate option if your goal is to keep a YouTube channel live with uploaded recordings or playlists: upload the videos, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. It loops uploaded videos in the cloud; it is not a way to send a live camera or an FM audio feed directly.
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