Please ignore stupid user error!!

Cubase
#1

Please take no notice of the below…I stupidly imported a stereo file on to a mono track. Using the same amount of channels export is identical in RMS and peak to the original.

I have been checking the volume of exported audio mixdowns and it seems Cubase is robbing me of approx a half a db in the process. Is this a design feature to safeguard against clipping if you import a file that peaks at 0??

This is what I did.

  1. Open new project
  2. Import audio file
  3. Set locators to event
  4. Export audio mixdown (realtime, offline, track export all the same result for me)
  5. Open the new file & the original in a program that gives accurate RMS readings.

I have been using Toscanalyzer’s keyvalue report which lists RMS av, RMS Peak, Max Peak etc all in one page for multiple files. I know it is accurate as all the export types measure identically…just the original that is different.

The odd thing is that the peak level changes by only .1db or even registers the same depending on source, but the average RMS is around half a db less…my export is in theory more dynamic than the original.

Would be interested to hear if anyone else has similar or different results or any thoughts on this.

Cheers
Grim.

#2

I haven’t noticed exactly that, but I have noticed much more significant changes in volume with export/import which I haven’t had a chance to troubleshoot yet. But in your case, I might ask:

A) Is it the import process that changes things? — When you import it the first time and do Cubase audio statistics, do they match Toscanalyzer’s on the original audio file? If they match and show import is accurate …

B) Is it the export process that changes things? — If after your step #4 export, you then reimport it to Cubase and do audio statistics on that 2nd generation import, do they match the imported stats you got in Step (A)?

If step (A) shows a difference, I guess it could be some combination of inaccuracy of the import process, vs. inaccuracy of the stats analysis of each program. I guess you could tease that out by repeated exports/imports and use Cubase to check the stats on each generation.

Sorry I don’t have a direct answer to your question …

#3

Hold everything…User error. Like an idiot I imported stereo audio to a mono track!

#4

I never do that. Except all the time!