True Peak
True Peak measures the highest possible sample level in an audio signal, including inter-sample peaks that can exceed 0 dBFS during playback. Unlike standard peak metering, True Peak reveals clipping that occurs during digital-to-analog conversion—making it essential for mastering and streaming delivery.
Standard digital peak meters sample at the sample rate boundary and can miss peaks that occur between samples during the DAC reconstruction process. True Peak metering uses oversampling to detect these inter-sample peaks, which can be 1–3 dB higher than the apparent sample peak.
For streaming delivery, most platforms specify a maximum True Peak of -1 dBTP to -2 dBTP to prevent these conversion artifacts. Exceeding the True Peak limit causes audible distortion on consumer playback devices even if your DAW meter shows the signal below 0 dBFS.
In mastering, use a True Peak limiter (like FabFilter Pro-L 2 or Waves L3) that displays both standard peak and True Peak readings so you can confidently deliver tracks within spec for all streaming platforms.