Clip with Mono Audio sounds distorted after import

[Adri34219162fz9t]

When I try to drag a video with mono audio intop my project the audio sounds very distorted and just weird. I have tried some things to fix it, but without success.

I know that converting the file helps, but always having to do that is very annoying, so I just think there has to be a better way.

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi @Adri34219162fz9t,

Thanks for filing your issue. The team may need more information. See: How do I write a bug report?

With the information required, the team can repro your bug more easily. Thanks in advance for adding any pertinent details. Sorry for the hassle!

Thanks,
Kevin

[Adri34219162fz9t]

Sorry for taking some time to answer, let me try to follow the steps. 

The problem happens when there is a mp4 file with mono audio. In my case they are usually from Instagram, but I think I also had another situation. The audio sounds deeper, slowed and barely understandable. 

I use version 24.4.1. 

I dont think more information about my operating system can help you, it looks like its an issue with premiere and mono to me, since instagram videos from the same user but with stereo are totally fine. 

I think you can easily reproduce the issue by just downloading a bunch of stories or reels on instagram and then just hope you get one with mono audio (there a quite alot for me rn, maybe like 20-30%) and then just drag it into a sequence. 

What Ia lso noticed, that if I try to edit the clip in After Effects, it gives me the same audio issue. 

[R Neil Haugen]

That looks like you have an issue with the frequency of the file ... that is pretty low at 22Khz. If you changed that so that it was 44.1 Khz or 48Khz, it would probably work fine.

[Adri34219162fz9t]

Unfortunately I tried that already, and that changes nothing about the weird sound. 

I already figured that out because one converter program wasnt working, converting with Handbrake works, but in premiere I work with very many small files, so having to constantly convert and never knowing before which to convert is very annoying. 

Maybe its the best to test yourself. 

[R Neil Haugen]

Testing is always good. Yes, so true. Even what seems to be simple parts of a workflow should be tested in with everything else. Then you know what just works.

I know Premiere doesn't work well with mp3 audio in general, that converting to WAV is a better option. There's a couple others that aren't good in Premiere.

[Adri34219162fz9t]

I know that converting with Handbrake works, but its just super annoying when you ahve tons of small files and you dont know which ones work. 

Im just very confused why this is happening, I still have some hope that this is something I can fix but doesnt really seem thatw ay when even AE has the same problem. 

[Stan Jones]

> downloading a bunch of stories or reels on instagram and then just hope you get one with mono audio

How about posting a link to one file that shows the problem? Dropbox etc.

That would make it easier to test.

Stan

[R Neil Haugen]

The free utility app MediaInfo can tell you the full details of can audio and/or video file. Finding one that doesn't work, see what the difference is between that and one that does.

[Adri34219162fz9t]

@Stan Jones
This is an example for an Instagram story, made with mono audio. All you have to do to replicate my issue should be to download it and drag it into the timeline and play it in premiere and compare it to normal file playback. 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12hp7iP_znU2zBtXYS2vgfUJE7xpt-eUD/view?usp=sharing

[Stan Jones]

@Adri34219162fz9t,

Bottom line, I don't see a way other than converting. This is not my area of expertise; anyone who can set us both straight(er) is welcome!

From MediaInfo, this file is using for audio:

Format : AAC LC SBR
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity with Spectral Band Replication
Commercial name : HE-AAC

See this post from 2020:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-discussions/premiere-doesn-t-render-audio-properly-from-...

There the user converted, believing the problem was variable frame rate. PR handles variable framerate better now. And I suspect the fix, back then, was not only because they converted to fixed rate in Handbrake, but that it converted the audio to more regular AAC. There is no mention of HE-AAC in PR supported formats. But I also did not find AAC LC, which is what Handbrake converted it to (below).

When imported to PR, the audio is running "slow." When I change the clip duration/rate to 200%, I can understand the dialogue, but it does not run full length. The clip itself has a lot of background noise, like traffic. In VLC player, the background noise is there, but the dialogue is clear and complete.

I converted in Handbrake, but I did not try to determine the right settings. I ended up with a (still variable frame rate) stereo clip that MediaInfo said was AAC LC. It worked correctly in PR.

Note that, for whatever reason, PR auto-tags this (original and handbrake versions) as SFX and applies "Heavy Reverb"). Or is that removing heavy reverb? lol. Just pick "clear audio type."

Stan

[Adri34219162fz9t]

Can we get a word from @Kevin-Monahan  if Adobe is aware of this issue?

[R Neil Haugen]

That is a rarely used audio codec. As in very rarely used. I doubt it would be worth the engineering budget to include it.

As in over a decade of active participation here and elsewhere, this is only the second time I've seen this come up.

[Adri34219162fz9t]

hmm, maybe people dont use footage from instagram that much...

In the last days I had to convert 86 files, atleast from 10 different accounts. From what I saw it happens here and there, not a very straight pattern and not only very few accounts for sure. From what I seen is that it affects stories/highlights much more then Reels (for whatever reason). 

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hello @Adri34219162fz9t,

I am currently on leave. I will respond once I return to the office. I hope someone from the team can respond.

Thanks,
Kevin