Volume of bounced file not as loud as original

[jackbensonite]

I have only one clip on the timeline. Track volume is at zero db. I bounce to disk. Import the bounced clip to timeline, track volume at zero db, and it is not as loud. My ears and the master fader bars agree, and you can even see that the waveform is slightly smaller.

Here you can see, over the course of seven generations of bouncing and importing, the waveform has progressively shrunk:



Is it supposed to do that?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

I'm using PT LE 6.4 on Mac OS 10.3.2 with Mbox 1. (I would've posted under "legacy products" but I don't see these listed there.)

[Ben Jenssen]

can you match up the bounced file and the original clip, and phase invert one of them? a mathematical kind of check.

[jackbensonite]

I'll try...

[jackbensonite]

Ok I tried the phase invert (I assume it's AudioSuite > Other > Invert), and you can still hear audio, although it's much less loud now. To test that I am correctly phase inverting, I did the same thing with just a duplicate of the original clip and they canceled out completely, no sound.

Would it have anything to do with the conversion process upon importing? When I import a bounced file, PT says because the file is not mono, it has to convert it, and it makes two new mono files which get imported to a stereo track. I'm going to try to check on this.

[Ben Jenssen]

Originally Posted by jackbensonite

Would it have anything to do with the conversion process upon importing? When I import a bounced file, PT says because the file is not mono, it has to convert it, and it makes two new mono files which get imported to a stereo track.

I would guess you probably have it there.
A 6db mono/stereo thing...

[jackbensonite]

The same problem occurs when bouncing mono tracks and importing them, when there's no conversion during importing.

[jackbensonite]

Sorry I guess we replied at the same time. It can't be a stereo/mono thing, it happens even with just mono. Anyway, I just want to say thanks for your help, at least we've eliminated a couple things.

[shtik]

Please upload a screenshot of the mixer at the time of the bounce with a master fader,

and the "bounce to disk" dialogue,

maybe things will be clearer that way.

[StudioRhythm]

It's pan law -- when you have a mono track panned center, it's reduced in volume by the PT mixer's pan law, which is -2.5dB for your version of PT. So each of your bounces should be 2.5dB softer than the previous one.

If you do the phase invert null test, just boost the bounce by 2.5dB or reduce the original by that amount and they'll cancel.

[shtik]

It's pan law -- when you have a mono track panned center, it's reduced in volume by the PT mixer's pan law, which is -2.5dB for your version of PT. So each of your bounces should be 2.5dB softer than the previous one.

I don't remember if there is a "mono - summed" bounce option in earlier versions, that's why I wanted to see which options he tried in the bounce dialogue..

Bouncing a mono sum should result in the same level.