Master Volume thinks it knows best

Can somebody solve a problem that’s driven me mad for years?
When I’m adjusting the faders to get the final mix right & i notice the master volume vu shows clipping, I turn the master volume down a fraction & the mix I’ve spent ages arranging changes completely & I have to start again. Why is this? What am I doing wrong? I’ve got version 4.

Thanks

jetboy

SOFT CLIPPING is active by default - right click in the VU neter - CLIP - untick -
with soft clipping active you will not clip the output as the clipper keep the level always to 0db - it will however introduce distortion if you push the output right up -

i never bother about clipping as i have the clipper on always - in the clip menu select MAX and the clip leds wont operate -

M.R.

Thanks Magic Rabbit but the refinements you mention dont appear to be present in version 4.
It certainly doesnt sound right when the VU is in the red
What I am still curious about is why moving the master volume should completely change the mix.

jetboy

sounds like you have some kind of odd grouping going on - is it changing track levels? track effects or everything in the mix? weird.

I’ve looked into this a bit more & found when I turned the master volume down 3 tracks started to dominate the mix & when I turned it down to zero they were still at the same volume!
All three tracks go to effects in the aux channels. Does the Master volume have no control over the aux channels? Am I missing something obvious here?

jetboy

Any AUX returns sending post mastering level?

I’ve noticed some unexpected routing in the mastering channel, very similar to what you describe. It’s as if some sends that are expected to be before the master volume or master effects are actually post volume and and post mastering effects.

May be a longstanding bug, but it’s probably a user thing.

Oh dear what a silly billy I am.
Thanks phoo the aux returns were set to post master volume & I didnt even know this option existed.
Thank goodness for the ntrack forum

jetboy