Audio Export volume too low

Hello

iMac 3ghz, OS 10.8.2, Cubase 7.01

I am sure this is something I am doing wrong as it’s been happening since there was Audio Export of a mix in Cubase. Basically I can make a nice fat, loud mix in Cubase. The Main-out meter is just under the red line. Then I use Export Audio. When I play the resulting AIFF file in Quicktime (or any other suitable player) at the same system volume it’s remarkably softer.

Did some internet searching and that problem apparently had been reported in conjunction with the Studio setup in Cubase. This is disabled in my setup.

Any ideas where I can start looking?

Thanks

Peter

How do you know you are playing the file back at the same gain setting in other applications?

+1

Need to check this!

Also, are you summing the main outs AND the monitor outs for the Control room? Your main outs on the mixers would not show the extra signal you hear when you playback. You’ll see normal levels but you’ll be hearing more than this

check in VST connections that you don’t have main outputs connected to monitor plus the control room set to monitor on the same output of your audio interface if you use control room (presume this is what you mean by studio). if you use control room you only monitor the control room output in the vst connections. disconnect the main output from monitor output - otherwise your telling Cubase to double up.

you could be summing the mix twice - it can sound great, but its 2 outputs your listening to. it will sound loud, and record quiet

Not sure this is your problem, but check it out :smiley:

Ensure your VST volumes, groups and outputs are all at unity gain (0) and edit your MIDI accordingly, starting with a median volume of 100 and working down for louder sounds while allowing softer sounds to rise above the 100 mark.

Same problem here.

We are mixing to 0dB. on the main Cubase outputs. Export.

Normalise and master in Cubase to 0dB.

The finished file is too quiet. We chek in Sound Forge, an extrnal audio editor and we have to normalise again.

We did nt have this issue in 6.5.
:neutral_face:

Are you saying if you, for instance, exported a 1KHz sine wave at -6dBFS on the Cubase master meter, that that file played in Sound Forge would not show -6dBFS?

No. We were mastering a fairly complex project.

Have you? :question:

Have I what? mastered albums? complex projects. Yes plenty!

The OP’s problem would appear to be different from yours?

Have I what? mastered albums? complex projects. Yes plenty!..

quote]
No. Have you exported a 1KHz sine wave at -6dBFS on the Cubase master meter, that that file played in Sound Forge would not show -6dBFS?

Guys,

Can we please get our quotations right?

It’s becoming difficult to read.

Ah :laughing:
I have done similar things in the past, but I don’t have C7.
But if there is a suspicion that C7 export is wrong, then this is one of the first simple tests I would try.

Actually there was an 8dB or so drop but my mistake because…

We were using the Curve EQ bundled with c7. Not sure what their metering shows in relation to the output. 0dB is what? :question:

The curve EQ plug-in looks formidable and I confess a bit much for me to learn in five minutes, althoigh I suppose it must be good if Steinberg chose to include it in their package. Maybe they just needed a bit of capital for R&D. Anyway it is probably good although I do not like it’s ‘look’ and how do I put it… It probably makes sense to the guys who made it, nut I do not think they do a good job of explaining what all the features are and where and how they would actually be used. Some examples would certainly help. :nerd: