SAMPLED

Mixing and mastering · updated 2026-08-16

INTERSAMPLE PEAK

A peak that appears between samples after conversion back to analogue. It is why true-peak metering exists and why -1 dBTP ceilings are common.

A Solid State Logic Matrix mixing console with channel strips, faders and pan pots — the desk layout behind the gain, EQ and balance terms in this section.
Mixing and mastering — A Solid State Logic Matrix mixing console with channel strips, faders and pan pots — the desk layout behind the gain, EQ and balance terms in this section.

Photo: Solid State Logic (SSL) Matrix Mixing Console at Audio Mix House, Studio C (opens in a new tab) by Audio Mix House (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons — CC BY 2.0 (opens in a new tab)

Key takeaways

  • A peak that appears between samples after conversion back to analogue.
  • It is why true-peak metering exists and why -1 dBTP ceilings are common.
  • Digital-to-analogue converters and lossy codecs both expose it, producing distortion that never showed on a sample-peak meter.
  • Metering with true-peak mode enabled catches these; a −1 dBTP ceiling gives enough margin for codec encoding.
  • Watch out: assuming a 0 dBFS master is safe because nothing clipped in the DAW.

Quick checklist

  • Can you define intersample peak in one sentence without looking?
  • Can you point at intersample peak in a real session, mix or contract?
  • Have you tried the practical move above at least once?
  • Would you catch the common mistake before it costs you a take?
  • Have you opened one of the primary sources below rather than a forum thread?

INTERSAMPLE PEAK IN DEPTH

An intersample peak is a level overshoot that exists in the reconstructed waveform but not at any sample point. Digital-to-analogue converters and lossy codecs both expose it, producing distortion that never showed on a sample-peak meter.

How it works in practice

Metering with true-peak mode enabled catches these; a −1 dBTP ceiling gives enough margin for codec encoding.

The mistake people make

Assuming a 0 dBFS master is safe because nothing clipped in the DAW.

WHERE INTERSAMPLE PEAK SITS

Intersample peak belongs to mixing and mastering in the Sampled music glossary. The processing vocabulary, plus the loudness standards streaming services actually measure you against.

TEST YOURSELF

0/3 answered · 0 correct

3 quick questions on intersample peak. Answers are marked instantly — nothing is sent anywhere.

  1. 1. Which statement best describes intersample peak?

  2. 2. What is the mistake people most often make with intersample peak?

  3. 3. In practice, which of these applies to intersample peak?

Ready for the full thing? Take the 25-question terminology test and get a certificate with your name and score.

SOURCES AND CITATIONS

Free, primary references for intersample peak — standards bodies, manufacturers, government offices and university course material. Each one lists the line of this entry it backs up.

  • ITU-R BS.1770 (opens in a new tab)

    Treaty-level standards body · International Telecommunication Union

    “A peak that appears between samples after conversion back to analogue.”— the claim this source supports

    Why it counts: ITU recommendations define the measurement method itself, so the figures here are testable rather than editorial.

  • EBU — loudness (opens in a new tab)

    Broadcast standards body · European Broadcasting Union

    “It is why true-peak metering exists and why -1 dBTP ceilings are common.”— the claim this source supports

    Why it counts: The EBU tech document sets the delivery targets broadcasters and platforms actually enforce.

RELATED TERMS IN MIXING AND MASTERING

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