Glossary
What is PLR in audio?
PLR
Peak-to-loudness ratio — how much punch is left above average loudness
PLR (peak-to-loudness ratio) is the gap between true-peak level and integrated loudness. Higher PLR usually means more headroom and punch. On HiFi Score, preview-measured PLR comes from 30-second lossy excerpts via ffmpeg ebur128 — never stored audio, never a full-master lab DR.
Also called peak to loudness ratio, crest factor.
PLR vs DR
Unofficial “DR” meters on full WAV/FLAC files are a different method. Our preview PLR is computed from short lossy clips (Deezer/iTunes previews). Treat it as a comparable catalog signal, not a mastering-house measurement.
How we map it
When preview PLR exists, it replaces genre/era priors in Hi-Fi Score (roughly PLR ≥16 → strong bonus, ≤8 → penalty). The badge then says Preview-measured. Community logs still win once n≥3.
Questions listeners ask
- What is PLR?
- PLR (peak-to-loudness ratio) is the gap between true-peak level and integrated loudness. Higher PLR usually means more headroom and punch. On HiFi Score, preview-measured PLR comes from 30-second lossy excerpts via ffmpeg ebur128 — never stored audio, never a full-master lab DR.
- What is a good PLR?
- There is no universal number. Acoustic jazz often sits higher than modern pop. On HiFi Score, preview PLR around 12–16 is typically more open than ≤8, but always confirm on your system.
- Why 30-second excerpts?
- We only fetch public previews and never store or redistribute audio. Short clips miss quiet album passages, so we label the metric Preview-measured PLR (30 s lossy excerpts).
- Is PLR the same as LUFS?
- No. LUFS is average loudness. PLR is true peak minus that average. Both appear on album pages when we have a preview measurement.