BOOSTING OUTPUT VOLUME : CLONE TRACKS OR EXPORT AND MASTER?

Leave it if it is good and Master for louder.
I really like k-clip then a final limiter.

Hi again, I'm just thinking that a limiter is probably not a mastering plugin only. Try adding some limiter to your mix bus and drop that threshold a bit at a time till you get your desired gain but prior to ultra squash. Then you could even get a bit more at mastering.
=-]

never clone tracks for volume.  Clone for paralell processing perhaps... but not volume
 
All the records you like were mixed well and then mastered

Cloning for loudness is definately not the way to go, IMO. The added volume you get from cloning is not any different from the one you get by just increasing the volume as the signals are 100% identical. Then again, if you nudge the clones apart to create a more impressive sound you'll easily end up with phasing problems if there are many clones.

The mix is not lower, its probably the application you are using to listen to the mix (Windows media player, exc).
Export your mix and then import that back in to sonar to test over all levels.

There's many way's to achieve a loud mix. 
It starts with each track being good and healthy. Wimpy tracks need to be either re recorded at the correct levels, or at least apply the GAIN control to put them in the ball park. You can also use the normalizing process. Lots of tricks and options here. 
 
But sometimes even after all you've done at the track level songs come out a little lower in level than you want.
MAstering is your friend here. And choosing the correct software helps as it will have the correct tools. 
I use Wave Lab Elements ( $100) to polish  my mixes. It has is the Global Analyzer which will quickly tell you how loud the song is using Average RMS level.  I aim for around -13db. Some go as loud as -9db. 
This is a true measure of how loud a song is. Not Peak. 
Peak level is of no help other than telling you your going over and clipping. It does not tell you your average loudness. The peaks at 0db could be a few random snare hits in the song and now you've hit the top and nowhere to go. You run the global analyzer and it tells you your average RMS is only -16db so now you'll either have to go find the peaks or just slap a Processor like Boost11 on there and add 3 db of gain. I use Steinbergs Maximizer but with my ears wide open. It is still best to figure out where the pesky peaks are which the Global Analyzer will mark for you ( sometimes) 
 
There are some good stand alone Mastering plug ins that will analyze your songs. But most of them cost more then you'll pay for Wave Lab. 

Bristol_Jonesey

ThatloudguyI do typically leave the master around -6 dB (this seems to be where the red starts on the Vu meters if I remember correctly).
 
This bothers me. You should leave your Master Buss at 0dB and mix into it at that level. You should be adjusting individual track volumes to keep the master in check so that it peaks anywhere between -6dB & -12dB
This will leave loads of headroom for mastering.

 
Oops, I meant to say Vu peaks at around -6. Master sliders are always at 0, sometimes I wonder why they are there lol
 

Thatloudguy
Cloning and sending the clones through a bus does seem to increase the overall volume and increases the value of the Vu meters, but based on what you have all said here, it seems this is not a good method.
 
Yes, if the tracks are in phase with each other it's a simple case of maths: 1 + 1 = 2
 
If they are slightly out of phase you'll get some reinforcement but also a healthy dose of cancellation at certain frequencies - which you don't want.

 
The clones never get out of phase for me, they are just clones. If any editing needs to be done, I delete the clones, then clone the edited track.
 
We will try the multiple layers of comp / limit, we were playing with it a bit last night. The final master will be done with Ozone. Baby steps now lol. Thanks for the input.