diff --git a/MkvOpusEnc.py b/MkvOpusEnc.py
index 8b72afe..587c643 100644
--- a/MkvOpusEnc.py
+++ b/MkvOpusEnc.py
@@ -83,17 +83,33 @@ def convert_audio_track(stream_index, channels, temp_dir, source_file, should_do
     # First pass: Analyze the audio to get loudnorm stats
     print("      - Pass 1: Analyzing...")
     result = subprocess.run(
-        ["ffmpeg", "-v", "info", "-i", str(temp_extracted), "-af", "loudnorm=I=-14:LRA=7:tp=-1:print_format=json", "-f", "null", "-"],
+        ["ffmpeg", "-v", "info", "-i", str(temp_extracted), "-af", "loudnorm=I=-18:LRA=7:tp=-1:print_format=json", "-f", "null", "-"],
         capture_output=True, text=True, check=True)
-    stats_lines = result.stderr.strip().split('\n')
-    stats_json_str = "".join(stats_lines[-12:]) # The JSON block is the last 12 lines
-    stats = json.loads(stats_json_str)
+    
+    # Find the start and end of the JSON block to avoid parsing extra data.
+    stderr_output = result.stderr
+    json_start_index = stderr_output.find('{')
+    if json_start_index == -1:
+        raise ValueError("Could not find start of JSON block in ffmpeg output for loudnorm analysis.")
+
+    brace_level = 0
+    json_end_index = -1
+    for i, char in enumerate(stderr_output[json_start_index:]):
+        if char == '{':
+            brace_level += 1
+        elif char == '}':
+            brace_level -= 1
+            if brace_level == 0:
+                json_end_index = json_start_index + i + 1
+                break
+    
+    stats = json.loads(stderr_output[json_start_index:json_end_index])
 
     # Second pass: Apply the normalization using the stats from the first pass
     print("      - Pass 2: Applying normalization...")
     run_cmd([
         "ffmpeg", "-v", "quiet", "-stats", "-y", "-i", str(temp_extracted), "-af",
-        f"loudnorm=I=-14:LRA=7:tp=-1:measured_i={stats['input_i']}:measured_lra={stats['input_lra']}:measured_tp={stats['input_tp']}:measured_thresh={stats['input_thresh']}:offset={stats['target_offset']}",
+        f"loudnorm=I=-18:LRA=7:tp=-1:measured_i={stats['input_i']}:measured_lra={stats['input_lra']}:measured_tp={stats['input_tp']}:measured_thresh={stats['input_thresh']}:offset={stats['target_offset']}",
         "-c:a", "flac", str(temp_normalized)
     ])
 
diff --git a/av1_opus_encoder.py b/av1_opus_encoder.py
index abaf13e..102d5f0 100644
--- a/av1_opus_encoder.py
+++ b/av1_opus_encoder.py
@@ -72,21 +72,35 @@ def convert_audio_track(index, ch, lang, audio_temp_dir, source_file, should_dow
     # The stats are printed to stderr, so we must use subprocess.run directly to capture it.
     print("      - Pass 1: Analyzing...")
     result = subprocess.run(
-        ["ffmpeg", "-v", "info", "-i", str(temp_extracted), "-af", "loudnorm=I=-14:LRA=7:tp=-1:print_format=json", "-f", "null", "-"],
+        ["ffmpeg", "-v", "info", "-i", str(temp_extracted), "-af", "loudnorm=I=-18:LRA=7:tp=-1:print_format=json", "-f", "null", "-"],
         capture_output=True, text=True, check=True)
     
     # Find the start of the JSON block in stderr and parse it.
     # This is more robust than slicing the last N lines.
+    # We find the start and end of the JSON block to avoid parsing extra data.
     stderr_output = result.stderr
     json_start_index = stderr_output.find('{')
-    stats_json_str = stderr_output[json_start_index:]
-    stats = json.loads(stats_json_str)
+    if json_start_index == -1:
+        raise ValueError("Could not find start of JSON block in ffmpeg output for loudnorm analysis.")
+
+    brace_level = 0
+    json_end_index = -1
+    for i, char in enumerate(stderr_output[json_start_index:]):
+        if char == '{':
+            brace_level += 1
+        elif char == '}':
+            brace_level -= 1
+            if brace_level == 0:
+                json_end_index = json_start_index + i + 1
+                break
+    
+    stats = json.loads(stderr_output[json_start_index:json_end_index])
 
     # Second pass: Apply the normalization using the stats from the first pass
     print("      - Pass 2: Applying normalization...")
     run_cmd([
         "ffmpeg", "-v", "quiet", "-stats", "-y", "-i", str(temp_extracted), "-af",
-        f"loudnorm=I=-14:LRA=7:tp=-1:measured_i={stats['input_i']}:measured_lra={stats['input_lra']}:measured_tp={stats['input_tp']}:measured_thresh={stats['input_thresh']}:offset={stats['target_offset']}",
+        f"loudnorm=I=-18:LRA=7:tp=-1:measured_i={stats['input_i']}:measured_lra={stats['input_lra']}:measured_tp={stats['input_tp']}:measured_thresh={stats['input_thresh']}:offset={stats['target_offset']}",
         "-c:a", "flac", str(temp_normalized)
     ])