Why Good Podcast Audio Levels Can Make or Break Your Recording

Even the best microphone in the world will not save you from bad levels.

And if your levels are off, your audience is not sticking around.

Too quiet? Listeners cannot hear you on the bus.

Too loud? Your theme music gives them a fright.

Let’s fix that.

And don't think this just means for audio pods, this is really important for video pods too!

What Do We Mean by “Levels”?

When we talk about podcast audio levels, we mean how loud or soft your recording actually is.

It is not the same as volume – that is what your listener controls on their phone or laptop.

Levels are baked into the recording itself and measured in decibels (dB).

If your levels are too high, you will see your audio meters flash red. That is called clipping, and it causes distortion that is almost impossible to fix.

If they are too low, you will sound like you are whispering from under a duvet.

Your goal? A nice middle ground between -12 dB and -6 dB. Loud enough to hear clearly, soft enough not to blow out anyone’s headphones.

When to Adjust Your Podcast Audio Levels

You do not have to get it perfect the first time – but recording clean levels at the start saves you hours in editing.

Here is where you can adjust:

1. During Recording

• Do a quick soundcheck before you hit record.

• Watch the levels in your recording software: aim for green, dip into yellow when things get lively, avoid red completely.

• Wear headphones so you can hear exactly what your mic hears.

• Pro tip: If you have guests or co-hosts, record each speaker on a separate track. Platforms like Riverside or Zencastr do this automatically. It makes editing much easier later.

  
  

2. In the Edit

• Bring down sections that are too loud.

• Boost anything that is too quiet.

• Aim to make it sound like everyone was sat in the same room – even if they were on different continents.

3. Before You Publish

Do a proper listen-through in different places:

• On a walk

• In the car

• On laptop speakers or headphones

  
  

Ask yourself: Would I want to listen to this for 30 minutes?

Audio Terms Made Simple

• Normalise: Brings your loudest point to a target level and adjusts everything else to match. Use after you have edited out coughs or accidental bangs.

• Limiter: Puts a ceiling on your audio so nothing gets too loud. Useful for sudden laughs or music spikes.

• Compression: Reduces the difference between loud and quiet parts so everything feels smoother and easier to listen to.

A light touch works best – too much and your podcast sounds artificial.

LUFS – The Final Polish

Most podcast platforms aim for consistent loudness so one show does not sound much louder than the next.

This is where LUFS comes in – it measures perceived loudness across the entire episode:

• –16 LUFS for stereo

• –19 LUFS for mono

  
  

At Yorkshire Podcast Studios, we always check LUFS at the end of editing to make sure your show sounds polished and professional.

Want Professional-Sounding Podcasts Without the Stress?

We handle everything – recording, editing, balancing levels, even uploading – so your podcast sounds amazing from start to finish.

Book a free planning call today and get your next episode sounding spot on.