Are the Audio Meters really accurate?

[Averdahl]

I have seen this issue for a long time and noticed it yet again today. When i playback clips on the timeline the Audio Meters often goes into red even if the file is ok and not too hot. It seems that the Audio Meters are somewhat over sensitive.

Today i downloaded the material for the Make The Cut Contest directly from www.makethecut.adobe.com. If i playback the timeline with the audio clip the audio meters goes into red within the first seconds indicating that the file is too hot. If i playback the very same audio clip from the Source the Audio Meters never hit the reds. If i export the timeline to an audio file (.wav) and then import it that file goes into the reds when played back in the Source. Not good. Bug already filed.

None of the files goes into the red when played back in Audition.

So, how accurate are the Audio Meters in Premiere Pro and why does exported files seems to be a tad hotter than the original?

[shooternz]

Do a test .

Create a Bars and Tone file at -1, 0 and +1

See how they perform in your "issue workflow."

[Ann Bens]

The audio file is way up in the red not just in Premiere but also in Audition.

[Averdahl]

Yes, but what i meant and explained poorly was that the audio file makes the Audio Meters in Premiere Pro do peak while they do not peak in Audition. Peak=The top of the Audio Meters light up the two red squares at the very top and stays there.

In Audition one gets the impression that the audio file is safe and never goes abowe 0 dB while Premiere Pro indicates all through the song that the file goes abowe 0 dB. Why does the two meters show different results? Wich one is accurate?

I have seen this for a long time in Premiere Pro, that it´s audio meters indicate that files are too hot while they in fact are not according to Audition. If i have files that don´t go abowe 0 dB i do not expect that the Audio Meters indicate that the files are too hot.

See the attached image:

[excited_Genie16B8]

while Premiere Pro indicates all through the song that the file goes above 0 dB.

One possible explanation is that Audition only "peaks" if the signal goes above 0, while PP "peaks" if the signal hits 0.