Adobe Audition Seems to Have Ruined My Files?

Report · Dec 16, 2017

Hi all,

I'm hoping someone may be able to help me! I use Adobe Audition CC for podcasting, and have for several years now. Recently, though, every so often Audition ruins my files, making them entirely unusable. The latest occurrence, however, is for a show I desperately need back if at all possible.

For some reason, my audio files after recording the program sound distorted and robotic. I've added a sample link below. It did it to all 3 tracks I was recording, and I don't believe it's my equipment, either. My equipment is rather new, works great, and this only pops up every once in a blue moon. There has been no processing done on these files whatsoever - I'm baffled as to why this is happening. The sample below is from the raw cut.

https://clyp.it/g3yy5t4j

If anyone could advise me on a) why this is happening and/or b) how to fix it and potentially save this show, I'd be so grateful.

Thank you for any help you can provide!

Report · Dec 17, 2017

Where were they recorded in Audition, straight onto a track in the Multitrack view? Do they sound like this immediately after recording when you play back the audio before saving the session and closing Audition? What equipment are you using to get the audio into Audition, mic, audio interface, connection to computer etc.? We really need to establish if this is a recording or playback problem. If Audition is actually recording the audio like this then it is likely to be a problem with your audio interface since Audition just records what is sent to it by the interface and it's drivers.

Report · Dec 17, 2017

Thanks for your response. Sorry, let me provide some additional info:

These files were recorded directly into Multitrack view on AA. No processing on them at all. They sound like that right after recording the audio in AA.

I utilize a condenser mic piped into a Steinberg audio interface, which then shoots audio to Voice Meeter, which creates a virtual output that combines both my desktop audio and my microphone for Audition multi-track recording.

I don't think it's a playback issue - I've tried playing around with the raw files outside of Audition and on different audio set-ups. I'm wondering if Voice Meeter might be the culprit.

Report · Dec 18, 2017

BrettStewart wrote
I'm wondering if Voice Meeter might be the culprit.

Since Audition is remarkably good at recording, that's the first thing I'd suspect. Additionally, you have to bear in mind that in order to make reliable recordings, Audition gives itself a high degree of priority within your machine. Which means inevitably that any other software running suddenly gets lower system priority, and I'm sure you can see where this is going...

Are you using the original voicemeeter, or the banana version?

Report · Dec 18, 2017

The Banana version. I'm wondering how I might best be able to troubleshoot this issue with Audition and Banana to prevent this from happening again. Do you have any thoughts?

Report · Dec 18, 2017

I don't know how difficult this is going to be, but the obvious course of action is to make a multitrack recording, with the voicemeeter output on one track, and a direct link to your sound device on another. Eventually something's going to go wrong, and I think that the culprit will be obvious. For the moment, I'd not suspect Audition, because if something like this was happening regularly (or even at all) I think we'd know about it; it takes a heck of a lot to stop Audition recording exactly what it's being sent, after all... So whilst the possibility of an Audition fault can't be completely ruled out, I'd definitely be looking elsewhere first.

Report · Jul 19, 2018

Hello I am having the same issue! However this time around my audio is so bad you cant even understand me. I use a rode nt1 to scarlett solo interface to the computer. It also happens randomly and in the past I had figured it was just that I left the program open too long and something would get wacky...however this time i had just opened it and started recording.. I recorded two files and sent them off where I was then made aware of the issue.

This is extremely frustrating since i can never tell when it's going to happen. So there is no predicting it. I am quite confident it isn't my interface or microphone. The only possible explanation I can think of is my computer itself, or the program (audition cc)

Has anyone figured out the problem or a solution? I think I speak for anyone else having this issue as well when I say, I cant afford this kind of problem. Hours of work put in for something that has to be completely redone.

Thank you

Report · Mar 16, 2019

I had this while recording guitar in Audition. Exact thing - I think the culprit is the WASAPI thingo in the Device Class.

Edit>Preferences>Audio Hardware

Change Device Class from WASAPI to ASIO (and pick any random device - mine is FL Studio for example - I think the rationale is anyting that works but WASAPI) and it seem to cure that horseshiiit sound.

I'm not technical, i have no idea what those things do and i just want my shtt to work so i can record creative ideas and this stuff always ruins my day. Hopefully for you this is one step closer to creative freedom. Good Luck.

Report · Mar 17, 2019

That's possible. WASAPI was originally developed for the ill-fated Windows Vista, and has wonderful features like - no built-in SRC, etc. In many ways, using ASIO (if a direct driver is available, so much the better) is a way better option than using Microsoft's flaky system. Or use ASIO4ALL as a translator - you get diagnostics with this, and it will work with pretty much anything - as far as I'm aware, it doesn't invoke anything to do with WASAPI, but uses the MME driver as an output (I think). And that's free.

As for why it sounds like that - well that could be simply down to a failure to get the present OS to resample to whatever your sound device is set to - that happens here with WASAPI on this laptop. Generally it isn't your files that are screwed, just your playback system. Sometimes just restarting play is enough to kick it into working properly.

Report · May 26, 2021

Did this problem ever get resolved? I don't have the device class options you speak of. I'm using a scarlett 18i20 and have never had this issue before. So nerve racking? Does anyone have an update? I opened the project back up and added a track and recorded just fine. But this happened to three separate projects and all tracks within.

I restarted everything and it works now, but geesh!

Report · May 26, 2021

Not by Adobe, because it isn't an Adobe issue - like it says above, it's the OS. It can still do it occasionally - it does it on this laptop sometimes. It sounds absolutely dreadful, but stopping and restarting always 'cures' it. Never does it on the DAW though, because that uses a decent sound device with a proper ASIO driver. But it's only a replay issue - it never trashes recorded files.

Report · May 26, 2021

I wish this were the case, but I have trashed recorded files. I'm using a coreaudio driver with my scarlett (only choice). I agree that once I restarted, Audition worked, but these files are, in fact, trashed. I've doubled checked everything. Whether it is OS or Adobe, these files are goners. I even restarted and then recorded in a new track in the same project and it recorded fine. It's just these files. I'm at a loss.

Report · May 27, 2021

Ah - I was talking about Windows. If you are using a Mac, then I have no idea why it would be happening, but inherently I wouldn't trust a Mac OS any more than a Windows one, quite frankly; they are both intrusive. Can you post one (or a bit) of these files? I'm intrigued as to what the damage might be.

Report · May 27, 2021

Here's a short sample. It's of people talking. Oye! So crazy the sound. I've never experienced this before. Any ideas?

Report · May 27, 2021

Yes. It sounds as though it's a 'normal' file slowed down an awful lot. Unfortunately because it's an MP3 it won't really interpret at a higher rate, so it's not possible to check that scenario out properly. If you recorded it in Audition, presumably there's either a wav, or whatever it is that Macs record that's the same (an uncompressed format). A minute of that should be enough to find out. No guarantees that this is correct, but there's a reasonable chance that something has messed up at least the file header...

Report · May 27, 2021

Here's an uncompressed WAV file sample. I appreciate you're checking it out.

Report · May 27, 2021

Unfortunately it didn't really reveal anything else. But in general, Audition is remarkably good at recording what it's sent from your sound device, so I'm wondering if this is implicated in some way. One thing I've found recently (and I would imagine that the situation is similar with Macs) is that checking and applying driver updates can make a difference - it's always worth making sure that yours is up to date.

Did you make this recording in Waveform or Multitrack view?

Report · May 27, 2021

It was in multitrack view. It's a podcast and there are 3 people having a discussion, so it works better to watch everything there. I'll check drivers, etc. Audition is on auto-update and so is my mac. Maybe the scarlett needs updating. I agree it's usually extremely solid.