# Mastering Chain Pro Run a full music mastering chain on one track: sub-rumble high-pass, corrective EQ, glue compression, character EQ, saturation, stereo widening, true-peak limiter, and two-pass linear loudness normalization to 2026 platform targets. > Canonical page: https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/mastering-chain-pro - **Category:** Media - **Keywords:** mastering, mastering chain, loudness, lufs, true peak, dbtp, loudnorm, limiter, glue compression, stereo width, saturation, streaming master, spotify, ebu r128 ## Overview A transparent, preset-driven mastering chain in the order mastering engineers use: high-pass → corrective EQ → glue compression → tonal EQ → saturation → stereo width → limiter → loudness. Loudness normalization is true two-pass: pass 1 measures the chain output (integrated LUFS, true peak, LRA, gate threshold, offset), pass 2 applies one linear gain to the target so dynamics survive — single-pass loudnorm pumps and is avoided. Targets follow the 2026 platform floors: Spotify/YouTube/Amazon -14 LUFS, Apple Sound Check -16, hip-hop/club genre floor -8, acoustic -16 with -2 dBTP headroom and a 20 LU loudness range. True-peak ceiling is enforced twice (limiter + loudnorm TP) because lossy codecs create inter-sample peaks above 0 dBFS. Before/after loudness is measured with EBU R128 and reported with the applied gain. The limiter runs with auto-level disabled so it only catches peaks; level is set by the loudness stage alone. ## Inputs - **Audio File** (file) - **Loudness target** (select) - **Character** (select) - **Glue compression** (select) - **Stereo width** (number) - **Output Format** (select) ## When to use - Preparing unmastered stereo mixdowns for commercial streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. - Mastering high-energy club, EDM, or hip-hop tracks to competitive loudness levels without introducing pumping artifacts. - Polishing acoustic and dynamic recordings that demand high fidelity, wide dynamic range, and strict true-peak headroom. ## How it works - Upload your unmastered audio track in FLAC, WAV, MP3, or any supported audio format. - Select your target loudness platform, tonal character preset, glue compression level, stereo width, and preferred export format. - The chain applies sub-rumble cleanup, corrective EQ, dynamic glue compression, harmonic saturation, stereo imaging, and true-peak limiting. - A two-pass EBU R128 loudness process measures integrated LUFS and applies a single linear gain to hit your exact platform target without dynamic pumping. ## Use cases - Finalizing independent music releases for distribution to major streaming services at -14 LUFS. - Creating aggressive, loud masters for club and DJ play at -8 LUFS with analog tape character. - Mastering acoustic, orchestral, or vocal-centric tracks with preserved dynamics at -16 LUFS. ## Frequently asked questions ### Why does this tool use two-pass loudness normalization? Two-pass normalization measures the entire audio stream first, applying a single linear gain stage so your track hits the LUFS target without the unnatural pumping of single-pass limiters. ### How does true-peak limiting protect my audio? True-peak limiting catches inter-sample peaks that standard digital meters miss, preventing distortion when streaming services transcode your track to lossy formats. ### Which loudness target should I choose for Spotify and YouTube? Select the Streaming target (-14 LUFS), which matches the standard playback normalization level used by Spotify, YouTube, and Amazon Music. ### Can I widen the stereo image without causing phase cancellation? Yes, sub-rumble filtering cleans up low frequencies before widening, ensuring that bass energy stays centered while high and mid frequencies spread cleanly. ### What audio output format is best for final release? Choose WAV or FLAC for lossless delivery to distributors and aggregators, or MP3 for fast previewing and direct client listening. ## Related tools - [Convert GIF to WebM](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/gif-to-webm): Convert GIF images to WebM video format with modern compression and web optimization - [Karaoke Vocal Reducer](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/audio-karaoke-track): Attempt to remove vocals from a stereo track - [Audio Loudness LUFS Normalizer](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/audio-loudness-lufs-normalizer): Measure integrated LUFS, true peak, and LRA, then normalize audio to Spotify, Apple Music, broadcast, or custom targets - [Genre Classifier AI](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/genre-classifier-ai): Classify a track into genres from measured evidence: GTZAN timbral-texture features, beat-grid pulse shape, band balance, key and dynamics — with a ranked top-3 and the reason behind every pick. - [Instrument Identifier AI](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/instrument-identifier-ai): Detect which instruments play in a track: onset-split note analysis scores every event against 13 timbre profiles and reports ranked instruments, families and per-note evidence. - [Convert AVIF to TIFF](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/avif-to-tiff): Convert AVIF images to TIFF format with lossless quality, compression options, and professional workflows - [Convert GIF to AVIF](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/gif-to-avif): Convert GIF images to AVIF format with next-generation compression and quality settings - [Image to WEBP Batch Converter](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/image-to-webp-batch-converter): Convert up to 20 uploaded images, or images inside a ZIP archive, into WebP files packaged as a ZIP ## Samples - [Copyright-Free FLAC Audio Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/flac-samples): Lossless FLAC audio samples for testing and development, mirrored from MP3 set with nature sounds and meditation music - [Copyright-Free MP3 Audio Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/mp3-samples): Collection of royalty-free audio samples for testing and development purposes including nature sounds, meditation music, and ambient audio - [Copyright-Free WAV Audio Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/wav-samples): Uncompressed PCM WAV audio samples for testing and development, mirrored from MP3 set with nature sounds and meditation music - [Copyright-Free OPUS Audio Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/opus-samples): Next-generation OPUS audio samples with superior compression and quality, featuring nature sounds and meditation music optimized for modern streaming