weird clipping

[sinkmusic]

Hi

I have imported a sound file limited at -0.3db in a Reaper track which is at a level of -1db, dry, without efx, and when i play the file, the vumeter shows more than 1.8 db clipping...
Is it normal ?
Is it due to some pan laws ?
I thought that a file normalized to -0.3 db, and played at -1db could not clip... ?
Well, it is no big deal at all, but i am just trying to understand.
Is there any explanation ?

[LOSER]

Originally Posted by sinkmusic

Hi

I have imported a sound file limited at -0.3db in a Reaper track which is at a level of -1db, dry, without efx, and when i play the file, the vumeter shows more than 1.8 db clipping...
Is it normal ?
Is it due to some pan laws ?
I thought that a file normalized to -0.3 db, and played at -1db could not clip... ?
Well, it is no big deal at all, but i am just trying to understand.
Is there any explanation ?

What file type? (wave/mp3/ogg/etc.)
Any resampling involved on playback?
Is the audio panned or center? (since if there is no panning pan laws are not an issue)

[sinkmusic]

Hi, Loser
Thank you for your answer.

There is no panning at all (= centered).

It is a wave file, and that the samplerate is not the same as the project's one : the project is 48/32, and the file is 44/16.

Could it be related to that ?

[LOSER]

Originally Posted by sinkmusic

Hi, Loser
Thank you for your answer.

There is no panning at all (= centered).

It is a wave file, and that the samplerate is not the same as the project's one : the project is 48/32, and the file is 44/16.

Could it be related to that ?

Yeah filtering of resampling may introduce some ripple in the passband.

Just try setting the project's samplerate to the same as the file (so there is no resampling involved) and then you shouldn't encounter any clipping.

[sinkmusic]

Ok.
So what's the deal ? I really don't know anything about this (it is a bit too much technical) and don't know what i sohuld do...

I mean :
-is it a problem that the file clips because of the resampling ?
-Must i lower the volume ?
-Should i set my project so that it matches the audio clips samplerate ?

[LOSER]

Originally Posted by sinkmusic

Ok.
So what's the deal ? I really don't know anything about this (it is a bit too much technical) and don't know what i sohuld do...

I mean :
-is it a problem that the file clips because of the resampling ?
-Must i lower the volume ?
-Should i set my project so that it matches the audio clips samplerate ?

What ever you want ...
... when you really need the resampling (i.e. working on the higher samplerate, you may want to turn the volume down until there is no more clipping)
... if you don't really need the resampling then you might just set the project samplerate to meet the file's samplerate.

You may also want to try different resampling modes and see if that helps some. I doubt it though.

[sinkmusic]

Thank you for your answer.
I may say something a bit silly, but i thought it was better to work at a higher samplerate (for the plugins, for the headroom, the impossible clipping, in case of time stretching, etc)... But these concepts are a bit fuzzy/blur to me (i think i have once read that working in 24 bit would avoid clipping, i can't remmber why)....

[xackley]

you might adjust the media item gain and Glue. This shoud result in a wav file equal to your project setting.

Try -3db, if it still clips, undo and try -6db.

[sinkmusic]

yep, ok