Now Cool Edit Pro is a name I haven't heard/read in quite a while. Then again, it is Adobe Audition now...
ProgressiveHoschi wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 15:31 CET
I was disqualified because the song is not in 24Bit. CoolEditPro cannot create files that are larger than 44/16. That's why I'm in Audition to save the song on 48/24. Why is there 16 bit now? No plan.
Can be easily explained:
If you worked with Cool Edit Pro, and that engine is locked to 44/16 - even on Import already (meaning, it would have converted the original 48kHz material and also introduced bitrate truncation noises/glitches/overtones), after that just rendering in 44/16, then importing it in Adobe Audition and exporting it once more as 48/24 - doesn't add anything. You are only filling up the bits with 0's. So even if your host shows 48/24 as file format, analysis tools will show the clear offset - in this case: 16bit.
If you would have added an exciter (as example), basically adding more signal processing in some shape or form, then the bits would have been filled with new material, resulting in 24bit.
ProgressiveHoschi wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 15:31 CET
I sealed the title itself on -1DB in cool with the limiter. Again, I don't understand why the volume is higher now. I don't understand about the Lufs, I don't have a plan for that. The mixdown itself is without compression or other plugins. I measured with the Audition onboard tool. Then I saw that I was around -16 and thought it was OK. I couldn't have changed that because of a lack of knowledge.
My main question would be: "what" -16 are we talking about?
Just to be sure, I've ran your mix through Klanghelm's VUMT2 with the RMS mode and AES-17 +3dB Compensation enabled (the same setup like a K-System meter, only that there is no 0-point reference and a relative meter scale, but actually an absolute meter scale). Both Wavelab's realtime RMS meter and VUMT show me an average signal strength of -12 dB RMS realtime avg (and -8dB RMS realtime max). An LUFS meter (like Youlean Loudness Meter 2) reads lower due to the different measurement techniques and ballistics.
Your maximum signal strength overshot can also be easily explained: difference dBFS max (Decibel Digital Full Scale) vs dBTP max (Decibel True Peak). True Peak is used for measuring possible Intersample Overs, something a DAC would pick up and maybe even stumble from, but not necessarily our ears. In this case, your dBFS value was indeed -1,0 dBFS (actually 0,9966 dBFS, which some tools just "round up"), while the dBTP value was -0,7098 dBTP. Your safety limiter probably can't handle up Inter Sample Peaks.
Since there are a plethora of signal measurement tools out there, all with their own twists and "allowed offsets / tolerances", I've decided years ago already to stick with LUFS and dBTP for the final mixdown for the Mix(ing) Challenge - since this is a more standardized mechanic with less tolerances (also see
this post here on the forum). As to how your track suddenly got louder - this is something I can't explain - maybe it has to do with converting 44kHz to 48kHz (which shouldn't happen), or some other underlying thing with Adobe Audition.
ProgressiveHoschi wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 15:31 CET
Still, sad when you spend tens of hours on a title and then get disqualified. I can understand that, rules are rules. I won't take part again though.
A real pity in my opinion, as I consider this a learning experience. I've been there several times myself - even after hours of work, my edits have been rejected because of similar things like "Not within loudness specs". This can be demoralizing, true. But this is also why the Mix(ing) Challenge simulates this scenario - to get you prepared for this kind of stuff in the future (especially important in the broadcast realm these days!).
I wouldn't just give up if I were you - there is always new stuff to learn. A new Mix(ing) Challenge coming up in 4 days - it might not be your genre of choice, but these games are great for gathering experience.
