I don’t understand why Wavelab doesn’t apply the final process dithering to output renders. No matter what bit rate I choose, the rendered files are resampled okay to my selected rate, but remain at 32F, whereupon I’m forced to create yet another set of files through a conversion process, before delivery.
This seems like a 101 fail for such an expensive piece of software that I’m still evaluating.
You have to specify the output bits in the WaveLab output format. 32 F is not mandatory.
And WaveLab can’t guess what settings are used in “private” dither plugins, hence can’t do the above choice automatically.
Thank you - I’ll take a look at it.
However it seems odd that it can guess what resampling rate you want - and it can guess what EQ and other audio manipulation you want from other private plugins.
It can not. eg. if there an EQ, WaveLab can’t know if you use it to boost bass or middle range or whatever. In the same way, WaveLab can’t guess if a plugin reduces the bit depth to 16 or 24 bits.
Of course, an audio analysis could do that, but by that time, it would already be too late to choose the output file format.
This being said, you’re not the 1st one to wonder about this dither thing 
I’m confused. It seems that the point of mastering software is to render out files that have been manipulated using the plug-ins, like digital EQ etcetera. A new file is created in a folder you have specified. I apply mastering to various clips in a montage and then render those clips. I"m surprised you say that Wavelab doesn’t do that. What is its purpose therefore?
The render should process all your plugins. And this is what happens appears to happen when I render in Wavelab - everything, including sample rate changes, but not bit depth…
It seems like maybe you’re not understanding something about Wavelab. Wavelab can output any bit depth you want it to… just choose the bit depth you want in the render dialogue, and then set dither to whatever level you want it to as well, and wavelab will create 24-bit files or 16-bit files, or whatever you set it to… all dithered exactly as you choose as well, or not dithered at all if you choose that. It’s entirely up to you. Wavelab is a very flexible powerful program…
Yes, absolutely.
Maybe I expressed myself unclearly, but this is not what I said. What I tried to express, is that WaveLab can’t guess what the plugin does to the audio. You, as the user of the plugins, knows. But WaveLab not. This is why WaveLab can’t guess the output format automatically.
But excuse my apparent stupidity - but this is precisely what Wavelab is NOT doing.
Wavelab does not set things automatically… you gotta set both dither and output bit depth yourself, but it’s easy. I’m confused why you’re struggling with this.
Because I choose the options I want - and then Wavelab doesn’t render at the bit depth I set.
Ahh. - well if that’s the case maybe you’ve discovered a bug somehow. I’ve never had that problem, and I use wavelab almost every day, often for professional work. Maybe we need to analyze further your exact process.
Can you post a screenshot of the render dialogue right before you start the render?
I don’t see any option to apply bit change / dithering - except in the Master Section - under Final Effects / Dithering.
Check your output format.
Click the icon on the right next to wav default to see the options. You probably have 32bit set there.
Aha - I see - it is Wav Default - and there are other options there. Hidden away - I’m used to choosing a file format and having options like sampling and bit depth in clearly displayed boxes (example Cubase, Pro Tools, Adobe Audition). Thanks.
Glad we could help… yeah, Wavelab is a little different, but the further into it you get, the more amazing you realize it is… anyway, hopefully it will be doing what you want it to do now! 
You can set up and save your own output presets. Maybe something like:
Then you can just load them as needed.
Yes - it works! Next problem - how to analyze a montage for loudness and peaks. I can only see how to monitor it during playback, or as individual unprocessed clips - or by rendering the whole montage to a new file and then analyzing it.
Take a look at the meta-normalizer… you may need to do a little reading in the manual, but it may be able to do what you want.
