dBTP

dBTP stands for decibels True Peak, a unit of measurement used in digital audio to express the maximum instantaneous level of a signal after accounting for inter-sample peaks. It is typically expressed in decibels relative to full scale (dBFS), with 0 dBTP representing the digital full-scale amplitude. The key distinction from dBFS is that true peak measures the peak level of the waveform between discrete samples, which can exceed the sample values due to reconstruction in digital-to-analog conversion and decoding.

True peak measurement is important because inter-sample peaks can cause clipping when a signal is played back or processed through various environments and codecs. To estimate these peaks, measurement tools use oversampling and specific peak-detection algorithms, often employing 2x, 4x, or higher oversampling rates. The resulting dBTP value indicates how much headroom remains from full scale; common practice targets negative headroom, such as -1 to -2 dBTP, to mitigate the risk of clipping after processing, transcoding, or playback.

In practice, dBTP is used alongside dBFS in professional workflows. It is commonly reported by mastering engineers, broadcast editors, and high-end audio meters to ensure that signals stay within safe limits across devices and platforms. While 0 dBTP represents the ceiling of full-scale, different measurement tools may implement their TP algorithms with varying precision, so it is advisable to consider a consistent meter and account for potential codec-induced variations when setting headroom.

Overall, dBTP provides a way to quantify peak behavior more accurately than sample-based measures alone, helping to prevent clipping while preserving dynamic range in digital audio workflows.