While trying to use Wavelab’s reference tracks in Montage mode, I loaded some .M4A files from Apple’s music store and they are both visually quiet (with a pencil thin waveform peaking at -18dB), and audibly quiet (showing -24LUFS Integrated). The exact same file displays -5.5LUFS Integrated when loaded into Youlean Loudness Meter, and peaks at 0dB when loaded into Twisted Wave or iZotope RX.
Originally I thought the problem was from the iTunNorm meta-tag and posted about it here, but manually deleting that info in metadata editor MusicBrainz Picard caused no change. Instead, the only way to ensure a commercial M4A plays back at full volume in WaveLab is to re-export it from a third-party wave editor.
I’ve replicated this behavior with a handful of 2023 releases from the iTunes Music Store but it does not appear to affect every download.
I have the exact same problem as OP has described:
Importing an M4A file from iTunes loads it at a severely reduced volume. The Loudness tab in the Global Analysis tool reports it as -24.0 LUFS integrated. Which is far below what the file actually contains – as verified by playing it in the Apple Music or Amadeus Pro apps.
OP could probably not upload an example file, as they’re copyrighted. I can however upload an example, as it’s my own production.
But I can’t upload the file because it’s more than 4 MB. And the forum also disallows posting links. So how am I (or OP) supposed to “post the files in question” ??
PS: I’m using the latest version of WaveLab Pro 11.
WaveLab decodes as it is encoded, so apparently at a reduced level. But the m4a file probably contains a gain parameter, to have it played back louder.
as I wrote above from my experience, the same file which appears at -24LUFS Integrated in Wavelab appears at -5.5LUFS Integrated when loaded into Youlean, and peaks at 0dB when loaded into Twisted Wave or iZotope RX.
However, my understanding is that if the upload to iTunes is the Atmos ADM/BWF file, the underlying file must be at -24 and WL will display it correctly. As PG says, the m4a file probably contains a gain parameter.
That said, I will be interested in further information.
ignore what its linked to its irrelevant