P: Audio of AVCHD files in .MTS format with PCM audio does not play correctly - sounds like noise

[kgroupcompanies]

[Subject line updated by moderator]

Using the latest version of PP (25.3.0) I was working on a project containing MTS video files, and all of a sudden the next day I opened up the project, and all of the audio tracks of the clips had max volume static (and nothing else). It had been working for several days. In the audio track timeline, it displays as just a solid bar, rather than a typical bar with variying levels as you'd expect (see attached). It is like this in the editor, and also if you export the video.

I messed with this for hours, including contacting Adobe Support Chat for about an hour. They weren't able to help. They left me with suggesting that I make sure all of my Windows updates were in place. I did that and still nothing. I messed with my video card drivers - making sure they were on the latest version, etc. I downloaded the AC3/AC4 codecs from the other Adobe post talking about MTS files not working in the latest version of Windows - that didn't help. I also have cleared cache several times, and I tried re-insatlling the latest version of PP.

If you open the files by themselves in Windows, they are fine. The audio is normal. They work fine in MS Clipchamp. They also work fine an older version of Premiere Pro that I downloaded (24.6.5). So, theoretically, I could start over and do this in 24.6.5, but I'd prefer to continue working in the latest version. I'm sure this is codec related or something, but I have hit a brick wall.

Has anyone else had this specific issue, and have you found a solution? Thanks

[DarikD]

I made the mistake of upgrading Premiere Pro to 25.3 when I have a deadline looming.

After updating, the audio tracks of any imported MTS files from inside AVCHD bundles had been replaced with ear-blistering white noise.

I tried rebuilding my media cache and a few other tricks to fix it. Nothing worked, I had to regress to 25.2.3 to be able to continue working.

[Ann Bens]

That is one thing you should not do is update with a deadline.

Best is to refert to prevvious build.

Make sure Default Input in the Audio Hardware in the Preferences is set to No Input.

[Dani_V.]

Hi @DarikD,

Sorry you're experiencing issues. We need a few more details to try to help, like hardware and operating system information. Please see: How to Report a Problem.

Were these files imported in 25.3 or in the previous version and if in the previous, did you try to re-import any of them in 25.3? Could you provide any more details on your audio hardware set-up if any and the source/camera of the media?

Sorry for the frustration,
Dani

[DarikD]

@Dani_V. I'm running MacOS Sequoia 15.5 on an Intel iMac. The files were imported using 25.2.3. The affected files were imported from 1080p AVCHD bundles that were recorded on Sony video cameras. The cameras are an HXR-NX100 and an HXR-NX30U. I think, but I'm not sure, that the sound from both cameras was affected. It seemed like it was the audio coming off the NTS file that was messed up. It was replaced with 100% amplitude white noise. I usually do a render and replace and fine tune my sound in Audition. The tracks that I had done that too were fine, but all the ones that were still unchanged original audio were affected.



I did not try to reimport in 25.3 because I don't have time to investigate, I had to regress right away.

[DarikD]

Sorry, not NTS, MTS.

[DarikD]

@Dani_V. I also just discovered that when I upgraded Media Encoder from 25.2, or maybe when I regressed it back, it deleted my preferences and more horrifically, deleted all the presets from ~/Documents/Adobe Media Encoder/25.0.

If I didn't have backups, this would have been devastating.

This was an infuriating update.

[Subhash33394060w3pq]

After updating to version 25.3.2, I noticed a strange issue: when I insert any footage into the timeline, the audio levels suddenly peak (go into red), even though the source audio plays back normally outside the timeline. This seems to be a bug introduced in this version. Anyone else facing this?

[renáta_2617]

We have the same issue.

When we play the audio in Premiere Pro latest version we can only hear distorted noise sound. Everything works fine when we use an earlier version of the program. 

[renáta_2617]

We have the same issue.

When we play the audio in Premiere Pro latest version we can only hear distorted noise sound. Everything works fine when we use an earlier version of the program. 

[Dani_V.]

Appreciate the additonal details @DarikD. Your preferences got deleted without reseting them?

Hi @renáta_2617, is this happening with MTS files specifically as well or a different type of file? What operating system are you on?

[Dani_V.]

Hi @Subhash33394060w3pq,

Thank you for reporting the problem and sorry you're experiencing issues. We need a few more details to help, like hardware and operating system information.

What type of media are you using or do you see this occurring with? Is it all files? Are they newly imported into 25.3 or were they already in the project before the update?

Are the audio levels peaking visibly only or audibly as well? Is it affecting the actual output of your audio?

Sorry for the frustration and hope we can help you soon,
Dani

[DarikD]

Yes, I never asked to reset my preferences. I had updated Media Encoder to 25.3 along with Premiere, then I regressed it back to 25.2 when I discovered Premiere 25.3 had issues. I'm guessing it was the regression that did it, but I'm not sure. All my Media Encoder preferences were reset to defaults, and my presets were just gone. They weren't in the trash or anything. That was a little shocking. I had to restore everything from a hard drive backup to get back to where I was before I updated.

Putting on my software engineer hat I'm guessing that since AE 25.3 is newer that 25.2 and they use the same settings folder, maybe the regression is doing that because 25.3 settings aren't completely backwards compatible? Whatever the reason, it's bad, since the settings were irreversably deleted without warning.

[Dani_V.]

Hi @kgroupcompanies @DarikD @renáta_2617 @Subhash33394060w3pq. Team has been able to replicate the problem and is now aware of this issue. I have merged your posts to a primary thread so that you can all recieve updates once we have more information.

Sorry for the frustration,
Dani

[renáta_2617]

It is happening with MTS files. Me and my colleagues use Windows 11 Enterprise.

Until this problem is fixed we will continue using the earlier version of the program.

[funny_perspective0999]

Same Problem here, honestly an extremely frustrating issue. Took me ages to find the mistake. Audition has the Problem with PCM Files, had to downgrade to 25.2 as well....

[kgroupcompanies]

To be clear - my original issue was the MTS files. It would probably be useful to have that in the subject, as I did originally. When should we expect a fix for this? Also, will our projects that are currently exhibiiting the issue with the audio revert back to having working audio, or will we need to start from scratch? Thank you.

[Shawn22352647dg2p]

After the update that happened a day ago, all my MTS files now just import and just have a hiss instead of the audio. The files work perfectly fine before the update AND they work in 2024. 

[RobShultz]

Are you opening an old project or bringing them fresh into 2026?

[KeithSteedeVIDEO]

I am experiencing the same issue. I spent 6 hours trouble shooting and then reverted back to v 25.2.3. very frustrating because i missed a deadline and will never get back those 6 hours. Please let me know when this has been fixed.

[perfect_reliability6985]

I'm having the same problem.
There is no problem at all when you just play the original video,
If you put it in the Premier Pro app and try to edit it, it plays audio like an image.
I'm also moving the avchd file to MacBook to mts and putting the file in there.
I also have a version of 25.3.
Even if you put it in an encoder and convert it, it only makes the same sound as the image.
I want a solution.

[perfect_reliability6985]

Now I'm thinking about going back to 25.2.3 from the version I'm currently writing.
Looking at the comments above from people experiencing the same problem as me, there is a comment that says I can go back to the previous version, so I'm trying to do that.
However, there is a rumor that it may not go to 25.3 if it goes back, so it is in a state of anxiety.
I want a quick answer and a solution.

[Dani_V.]

Hi everyone,

The team is aware of this issue and working on a fix. If necessary, it's possible to reinstall the previous version of Premiere Pro through the Creative Cloud app.

Dani

[shawnwilliampatricks]

My workflow has been working fine for years. All of the sudden my camera footage audio distorts to the point you can't tell what is even being said (red meters 99% of the time). It happens in the Media Browser and Timeline. Regular audio files work fine in the timeline, footage from my Panasonic AF100 (produces a .MTS file) has this problem whether from a project three years old or today right off the memory card. The only thing I can think of is maybe Premiere auto-updated the past day and introduced this problem, since this is my workflow 3 days a week for many years.

What I've tried:
Trashing preferences
Making sure sample rates are matching

Changing audio Devices/Drivers
Turned of my microphone input
Tried a completly different computer system
Tried reencoding via Media Encoder (for a quick fix)
Tried exporting just audio via media encoder (for a quick fix)
Computer restart and other typical troubleshooting.

My video files work fine in a media player and I downloaded the free version of Divince which they also work fine. Missing deadlines 😞

Any ideas, this is a show-stopper. I need to break out Final Cut or something. Lost a day to this. Thanks for reading!

[shawnwilliampatricks]

Windows 11, fyi.

[Richard M Knight]

Is the audio dolby digital? If it is all dolby decoding is done by Windows, the problem could be a Microsoft update.