When I turn FX on, and add any effect, the volume automatically drops

[ssalina]

When I turn FX on, and add any effect, the volume automatically drops.  It doesn't matter if the effect is GPU intensive or not.  I even turn on pre-rendering, but it doesn't help.  As soon as I turn off FX, the volume goes back to normal.  I'm trying to add some basic EQ effects, but I can't, since it's now hard to hear the track.  Thoughts?

[Rag and Bone]

Hmm.  I don't know what's going on, but a few more details might give someone a clue.

Waveform or mutitrack? Adding the effect to a clip or a track?

Can you give use a screen shot of your session?

[alessandro_1854 · Accepted solution]

Hi ssalina,

Here’s a clear, step-by-step fix for the “FX on → sudden volume drop” issue. This happens in both Adobe Audition and Premiere Pro for a few common reasons—usually gain staging in the Effects Rack, pan law/mono routing changes, or automation quietly pulling levels down.
Quick wins (try these first)
Reset the Effects Rack levels

1-In the Effects Rack, make sure Input and Output are both at 0.0 dB.

2-Click the rack menu (≡) → Reset Rack.
Why: if the rack’s Output Gain was lowered, any effect you enable will sound quieter, and bypassing FX will seem “louder.”

3-Check per-effect output / mix
Open the effect’s UI (even simple EQ) and confirm:

4-Output/Make-up Gain = 0 dB (or compensated to match perceived loudness).

5-Mix/Wet-Dry = 100% (unless you’re intentionally blending).
Why: Many effects default to conservative output to avoid clipping, making it feel like a sudden drop.

6-Bypass vs. Power
Toggle the Power (rack on/off) and Bypass (per-effect) buttons and listen. If the level matches when you set the effect’s output to +1–2 dB, you’ve found a simple compensation fix.

If you’re in Audition (Multitrack or Waveform)
Pre-fader vs Post-fader
In Multitrack, effects can be Pre-Fader or Post-Fader. If your track fader is already trimmed down and effects are pre-fader, total gain staging can end up lower than expected. Try switching the rack position or set the track fader near 0 dB and let the effect output do small trims.

Pan law & mono routing
If an effect (or preset) switches the channel mode (e.g., stereo → mono) or you route to a mono bus, center-pan attenuation (often around -3 dB) can kick in.

1-Ensure the track and bus are consistently stereo if that’s what you want.

2-If you must go mono, compensate with Output Gain on the effect or rack.

Match Loudness & Auto-Gain features
Make sure you don’t have Match Loudness or any dynamics plug-in set to a low target (e.g., -23 LUFS) while expecting mix-level playback. Temporarily bypass loudness/dynamics effects to see if the drop disappears.

Automation check (sneaky culprit)

1-Set automation mode to Off/Read only if you intend it, and inspect Track Volume and Clip Gain envelopes for sudden dips exactly where effects enable.

2-If you see unwanted points, delete them or switch to Write/Touch and overwrite a steady pass.

If you’re in Premiere Pro
Clip vs. Track Effects
Try placing the EQ as a Clip Effect (in the Effect Controls panel) vs a Track Effect (in the Audio Track Mixer). If the track rack has output turned down or a compressor with low make-up gain, the whole track will feel quiet whenever FX are active.

Essential Sound & Auto-Duck
If you used Essential Sound, disable Auto-Duck or compression temporarily and compare. Auto-duck can pull down music/ambience when “dialogue” is detected.

Hardware & Playback

1-Audio Hardware: make sure sample rate is consistent (e.g., 48 kHz project ↔ 48 kHz device).

2-Preferences → Audio: disable any “Maintain pitch” or quality options just to test if DSP load is causing conservative gain behavior. (Pre-rendering helps GPU video effects, not audio level logic.)

A quick diagnostic you can do in 30 seconds
1-Insert Parametric EQ with a flat curve (no boosts/cuts).

2-Set its Output Gain to +2 dB and toggle the effect.
If the perceived loudness now matches when FX are on vs off, the fix is simply output gain compensation on each effect (or the rack) so your A/B comparisons are fair and your mix balance stays intact.

Good gain-staging recipe (so this doesn’t come back)
1-Keep track faders around 0 dB during sound-design/mixing.

2-Use effect output (or a Trim plug-in) to set the level after processing.

3-If you must go mono or bus something differently, always re-check and compensate a couple dB as needed.

4-Avoid stacking multiple devices that each pull -1 to -3 dB “for safety”—it adds up fast.

If you spend long sessions tweaking audio (been there!), it’s also handy to keep your working hours straight—especially in Germany where Überstunden (overtime) rules matter. I built a small, free Work Time Calculator with a short German guide “Überstunden berechnen: Ein Leitfaden.” It helps you log sessions and see overtime cleanly.
GitHub: Überstunden berechnen – Work Time Calculator
If you share your exact setup (Audition/Premiere version, mono/stereo routing, and a screenshot of your Effects Rack with Input/Output values), I can pinpoint the exact knob that’s stealing your volume.

Best Regards

alessandro_1854

[Rag and Bone]

Wow. Thanks Allessandro. That's thorough!