2.1.16. Export compensation

The Compensation combo-box appears after optimization and controls the gain correction applied when exporting.

• None is the default. Export uses the optimized dynamics without an additional loudness correction.
• Average measures the average optimized output using the selected loudness type and corrects it toward the center of the target range. For Peak and True Peak loudness types, it uses the maximum peak instead.
• Integrated measures integrated loudness over the complete optimized file and corrects it toward the center of the target range. Choose this mode for targets expressed in Integrated LUFS.

Average and Integrated add a measurement pass over the optimized audio before limiting. The optimizer calculates a fixed gain correction for each file, then renders with that correction applied before the built-in limiter. Audition playback does not include this export correction.

Selecting one of the target range presets does not enable compensation. Dynamics processing can change the final integrated loudness even when the original file already measures the loudness and peak values shown in the preset name.

For a stereo Integrated LUFS target, use a channel-linked LUFS loudness type with K-weighting selected as the IIR contour type. Optimize the complete file, then select Compensation: Integrated before exporting. Use True Peak limiter mode when your peak ceiling is specified in dBTP. The Purpose preset Mastering - Apple Music Reference (Stereo) configures these settings as a starting point for -16 LUFS and -1 dBTP.

The limiter can reduce the loudness after compensation. Measure the exported WAV over its complete duration to confirm Integrated LUFS and maximum True Peak.