Hi all
 
X3 has been an absolute dream to work with and I am getting some fantastic results really quickly
 
I have done a few EXPORTs to MP3 using "Aaron's Sonar Mp3 Patch" (the options automatically appeared in my EXPORT --> AUDIO options so I assume it has picked this up from my X2 settings) but when I export in X3 I have noticed that there is a "click" at the start of the exported file, which is not present in the X3 project - I always have a few measures of silence at the start of my tracks
 
This used to happen on X2 if I had used a delay effect but I discovered that if I closed X2 and reopened it the file would export without the click if I exported before playing the track through
 
Unfortunately this workaround did not work on X3
 
Has anyone else experienced this?
 
Is there another (free?) MP3 export option/codec I can try, which gives MP3 quality options?
 
Thanks

Quick Update...
 
I am getting exactly the same issue with a normal export to WAV so I am thinking the issue I with X3 (or the setup) rather than the MP3 encoder
 
I have tried increasing the buffers and a range of different options in the export dialogue
 
It does appear that during the END of the export process there is a "pop" - and it sounds like this is the same "pop" that is being "printed" at the START of the exported WAV & MP3 file!?!?!
 
As I said previously, I experienced this in X2 but could "work around" by closing & re-opening (I read somewhere about clearing buffers?)
 
However, in X3 this trick is making no difference at all
 
Any ideas?

...perhaps "fx trails" in preferences should be turned off?
 
I get those too and this topic reminded me I need to take some action...
it's not a terrible difficulty to edit out ...but...

I suggest you start buy re-importing the file(s) to SONAR, and verifying the pops are actually "printed" to the file by zooming the waveform drawing. My guess is that pops are not in the file, and it's your soundcard and/or whatever media player you're using to play back the files that's generating a pop in real time.

Thanks BRUNDLEFLY
 
I have looked at the actually waveform and confirm that the "POP" is printed to the file
 
I actually saw the pop before I heard it after uploading my first exported to track to SOUNDCLOUD
 
I saw the "pop" on the waveform and then heard it when playing the file back
 
I have also imported the MP3 and WAV file back in to a fresh SONAR project and can clearly see the "pop" on the waveform

I have that on occasion using X1 Producer.  To solve it, I make sure that I have a Volume envelope on the Master Bus that starts out as complete silence at the beginning of the song.  Then of course it gets set to wherever I want it just a split second before the music starts.  Still, however, every once in a while I have to render the wave a second time.

On re-reading, it does sound like this has to do with part of an FX tail remaining in the audio buffer. It's been a long time since I've had any problems with that, myself. You might try changing the state of "Always stream audio through FX" in preferences since that implementation has changed with X3. You might also want to ensure that you're selecting a long enough period of time at the end of the project for FX tails to play out completely on export. if that doesn't get it, I'd look for a specific FX that might be causing the problem.

Thanks for the suggestions
 
I have tried them all but still the same  

If it's not fx tails then I don't know. Would be interesting to hear what solves it tho

Try reproducing it with the X3 demo project with all the tracks unfrozen. That should rule out anything project-specific as I get a clean export of that, both as wave and using the Cakewalk-licensed MP3 encoder.
 
I have to wonder if that "Aaron's Sonar Mp3 Patch" is getting its hooks into the process even when exporting to Wave. It's a long shot, but you might try uninstalling it just to be sure.