Page 1 of 2

Gain

Posted: Tue May 04, 2010 12:39 am
by cosmickc
Hi!

I'm new to Audacity. Running this 1.3 Beta version with windows 7.

My question is about gain. My audio recording is 24bit 96k. I increased the left channel by +3db to balance both channels. I see no clips when selecting the "show clips" under View and I hear no clips. However after I have exported the audio at 24bit 96k I can hear clips. (The exported file still does not show any clips.) I also exported the audio at 16bit 44k (for CD) and it does NOT show any clips and I CANNOT hear any clips.

Anyone have any ideas what might be going on?

Thanks!

BTW. I used to do all my editing on an old program called RedRoaster, and I do still use this program, I never had anything quite like this happen. In fact, I could increase the gain quite a bit and the audio never clipped.

Thank you!

KC

Re: Gain

Posted: Tue May 04, 2010 12:42 am
by steve
cosmickc wrote:after I have exported the audio at 24bit 96k I can hear clips
You mean when you play the file in another program? How are you playing the file?

Re: Gain

Posted: Tue May 04, 2010 11:45 am
by cosmickc
stevethefiddle wrote:
cosmickc wrote:after I have exported the audio at 24bit 96k I can hear clips
You mean when you play the file in another program? How are you playing the file?

The exported 24bit 96k file I can hear the clips with any playback program including Audacity and even when I playback the file from disc on my DVD player.

Thanks

KC

Re: Gain

Posted: Tue May 04, 2010 7:49 pm
by steve
I'm trying to work out exactly what steps I need to perform to recreate the problem.
cosmickc wrote:I increased the left channel by +3db to balance both channels
How did you do that?

Re: Gain

Posted: Tue May 04, 2010 7:57 pm
by cosmickc
stevethefiddle wrote:I'm trying to work out exactly what steps I need to perform to recreate the problem.
cosmickc wrote:I increased the left channel by +3db to balance both channels
How did you do that?

It was a stereo track. I split that stereo track. Then I increased only the left track +3 db. Then I re-made it a stereo track.

Re: Gain

Posted: Tue May 04, 2010 8:52 pm
by steve
When you Import the 24/96 file back into Audacity, does it show any clipping? How close do the peaks come to the top/bottom of the track?
Does the 24/96 file imported back into Audacity look any different from the same recording exported as 16/44.1 imported back into Audacity?

Re: Gain

Posted: Wed May 05, 2010 3:45 pm
by cosmickc
stevethefiddle wrote:When you Import the 24/96 file back into Audacity, does it show any clipping? How close do the peaks come to the top/bottom of the track?
Does the 24/96 file imported back into Audacity look any different from the same recording exported as 16/44.1 imported back into Audacity?
When imported back in it does not show any clipping.

The Peaks are at or close to -0db

It does not look any different than the 16/44.1



Thanks

Re: Gain

Posted: Wed May 05, 2010 10:01 pm
by steve
It sounds like the problem is that for one reason or another your computer or sound card can't handle the data rate at 24/96.
Is there any particular reason why you want files at 96kHz?
If you can upload a 24/96 sample somewhere and post a link I can check out the file for you and see if it plays OK here.

Re: Gain

Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 6:24 pm
by cosmickc
stevethefiddle wrote:It sounds like the problem is that for one reason or another your computer or sound card can't handle the data rate at 24/96.
Is there any particular reason why you want files at 96kHz?
If you can upload a 24/96 sample somewhere and post a link I can check out the file for you and see if it plays OK here.
Actually, the computer and all my other devices, including stand alone DVD players play 24bit 96k just fine. My computer also plays the original 24bit 96k through audacity just fine with no clips.

I hadn't noticed this before but the 16bit 44k file DOES show all the clips but they are not audible. The 24bit 96k doesn't show the clips but they ARE audible.

I use the 24bit 96k to make Audio only DVD's using Lplex. I've been a live concert taper for 21 years and for the past 15 years I've worked with and recorded a band out of Chicago, Mr. Blotto. I just switched over to Audacity and doing high-res audio. I have and still do use Red Roaster 24/96 from Samplitude but that program is about 12 years old now. For whatever reason, with Red Roaster, whenever I increased the gain, applied EQ, used compression, widen the stereo field, etc., I never heard any clips. Red Roaster has a cool interface, not that different from Audacity, That let's you create virtual projects. You can actually see the changes you make in real-time and it isn't necessary to save or export every time you make a change. But it lacks the support of any files greater than 2 gig and exporting multiple tracks. You can also burn directly to CD.


I'll upload 2 identical tracks one will be the 24 bit and the other 16 bit to mediafire. I'll let you know when they are available.

Thanks for all your help

Re: Gain

Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 7:58 pm
by cosmickc