Using Cubase 14 for Windows on ARM, latest version (10.0.40 or whatever).
I import a completed track to use as a reference, it’s just passing through one of the Cue mixes (using the default Steinberg ASIO - though note the distortion occurs through the main output as well).
When I playback the drop parts, the track gets exceptionally distorted in the high end (like 10K+) and the image seems to be much wider than it should.
When I play back the track on windows media player (using the same output - which is just a pair of Sony MDR-MV1), it sounds fine. I even tried loading the track up FL Studio and it sounds fine here as well.
Nothing else in my project sounds distorted like this - for some reason it’s only when I import completed tracks. Also, the volume of the distortion seems to be worse the quieter the track/project is. As the volume of the track/project increases, the distortion becomes less noticeable (though it does increase in volume, it seems to be at a lower rate than the loudness of the audio itself).
Any ideas?
EDIT: The problem appears to only be with WAV or FLAC files - if I import an MP3, the distortion disappears.
Edit2: I compared the same file in FL and used a spectrum analyzer to compare the two, the top one in the image below is Cubase, the bottom is FL Studio. No idea why Cubase is adding all that high frequency noise…
the first thing to do is to do a null test with your original and the reimported mix in order to get some proof of the discrepancy.
Please import the mix to the exact same start and flip the phase while you play the original. You should hear silence. Put a spectrum analyzer on the Stereo Out and get visual confirmation.
If there’s a difference check your output routing and all things right up to your monitors.
Different monitors will produce noticeable differences in general, so that’s not a good reference.
It’s not an original track I am importing, it’s a 3rd party track. As mentioned, the problem goes away if I convert the file to MP3 before importing it. Not sure why this distortion occurs with WAV/Flac files.
At this point I’m wondering if this version of Cubase is adding such distortion/noise to ALL sounds (i.e. ones I am designing) but I just don’t notice it since I’m EQing things or something?
Only thing I can think of is some weird issue with sample rate or something, but it’s converting the files so I don’t see why that would be a problem…
Edit: It looks like for some reason the highs are getting boosted when imported?
Here’s an analyzer from Cubase, I’ll grab one out of FL shortly
I haven’t noticed anything over the past two days with regard to Cubase 15 and its sound. I would have noticed for sure.
You are changing the sample rate during import? Can you give more details, this sounds like the right path to investigate.
EDIT
Yes, you’ve got a LOT of top end here! The bass roll off on the side signal looks normal.
The frequency distribution corrobates your perception of highs.
This is Cubase 14 still, not 15. And I think it’s been like this for a while, though I’m only just now using this Cubase on ARM version so I can’t really speak on if it was caused by any updates or anything.
I didn’t have a spectrum analyzer on FL studio so i used Slice EQ, and grabbed another screencap in cubase with it as well. The top graph is from Cubase.
This is the exact same audio file in both projects, cubase seems to be adding a bunch of high frequency noise when I import the wave files - no idea why. Gonna add this image to OP as well
On my desktop, which uses Cubase 14 for Windows x86/64 it works fine. On my ARM based laptop, the conversion to 48k (or 24bit?) seems to not be working correctly.
Fwiw I’ve used these same settings since Cubase 5 and have never had issues with them. I’m assuming it’s just a bug with Cubase for ARM or something.
For the time being, I can use ffmpeg to convert the file as needed ahead of time, however this is tedious and annoying to do so I would love it if this can be fixed, Steinberg. And not on Cubase 15 because I don’t intend to upgrade as I’m tired of spending money on broken updates all the time.
