Difference between audio peak on clip and peak on audiometer

Question

Level 1

13 points

Difference between audio peak on clip and peak on audiometer

Hello guys,

I hope someone can help me with my question. I basically have the same problem as this guy here, but I think the topic has never been solved: Difference between audio peak on clip and peak on audiometer.

Please have a look at my screenshot (attached). You see that the audiometer is showing a peak of -6. However, the audio waves on the clip are colored red. WHY? Aren't they supposed to show the same ? And which one should I trust?

FYI I used the limiter filter for Audio.

Thanks in advance.

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2013), OS X El Capitan (10.11.6)

Posted on Jul 30, 2016 12:48 PM

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Answer 1

EcoGreg

Level 3

894 points

Jul 30, 2016 4:27 PM in response to AniadeAl

Hi Aniade

No they are not the same.

The clip wave forms only pertain to how the material was recorded and or levels pertaining to that clip. You can adjust the levels on the clip itself by the volume adjustment or via the Inspector Pane Audio Tab.

The Meters are displaying levels of the audio after mixing all concurrent audio clips and what would be exported.

Since you applied a Limiter, depending on how you set the parameters inside the Limiter, this will affect the output as reflected in your Meters.

Hope this helps, Greg

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Answer 2

fox_m

Level 6

13,396 points

Jul 30, 2016 6:23 PM in response to AniadeAl

The only way that is possible is if you have some effect on the clip that changes the output in some way, either an effect or the built in audio analysis tools (Audio Enhancements > Audio Analysis > Loudness most likely).

The output meters are more important than the clip meters. However, they are both accurate. The clip waveforms are referenced to -6dB. You can increase the gain on a clip by +12dB. The output meters are referenced to 0dB. There is +6dB headroom beyond 0dB. Clipping occurs at +6dB on the output meters. Loudness at 0dB and above is excessively loud and should be avoided. Clipping would cost an audio engineer his job.

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Answer 3

Jul 30, 2016 9:27 PM in response to AniadeAl

what the others say ...

another option for this 'difference':

is this the clip in the Projects timeline, or in its own timeline, e.g. as part of a compound?

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Answer 4

AniadeAl Author

Level 1

13 points

Jul 31, 2016 10:01 AM in response to EcoGreg

Thank you very much!

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Answer 5

AniadeAl Author

Level 1

13 points

Jul 31, 2016 10:03 AM in response to AniadeAl

Thank you very much guys! So not sure, which of the answers is correct here, maybe I will just have to call someone of FCP. What I also don't understand... When I set the limiter output to -2db, then the maximum output should be -2db, right? So why is the peak in the audio meters at -5db (see screenshot). This is all very confusing. I wish FCP would have written more about this topic.

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