Lately when I mix down with Export Audio the results sound like they've been over compressed when I don't even have a compressor on the project. The mix sounds great when played in Sonar but the mixed down wav file sounds terrible.
 
Both X1d and X2a are doing this.
 
Any ideas?

Do you import the exported wav back into SONAR for auditioning? In case you audition them in WMP, make sure its compressor is not on. At least it used to have a compressor.

You'll need to list all the settings in the Export dialog box.

And double check that all your tracks & busses are routed to the Master Bus

Sonar exports exactly how you tell it to. Are you setting your export properties correct?

Also, other playback systems are different, so you need to take into account that songs may sound better in your studio, as you may not have a tuned environment that your mixing in and when you play it back on other systems it will not translate well, because you never mixed it in a tuned environment. That's one of hundreds of theories.

None the less, you need to tell us more about exactly what your doing and your entire signal chain needs to be gone over and the other playback systems need to be listed.

You do not have enough info listed in your post to tell you what you are doing wrong

I had a similar problem. I had to fiddle with my Export options.

http://forum.cakewalk.com...?m=2710286&mpage=1

I ended up using the direct monitor outs option and everything was fine.

I think I had the track outputs routed goofy. I'm trying several setting changes here and there but that seems to be the main glitch.
 
Thanks guys!
 
Steve

This is the "normal" routing. Just like a hardware mixing board.

1. Tracks go to the Master Bus
2. Buses Go the the Master Bus
3. The Master Bus goes to the Main Outs 1/2

The master bus is the "catch all' for all tracks and buses

Cj

I know this, though, I had several tracks routed to the REVERB Bus and their Sends routed to the same Bus. REVERB Bus was routed to the MASTER Bus.
 
I also had Channel Tools in the MASTER FX Bin. Don't know why but it was over distorting the output signal so I took it out.
 
Not sure what was causing the trouble but it seems to be working OK now.
 
.

Until now.
 
For some reason I can get 2 totally different results back to back.
 
Only change is a few fader adjustments.
 
This is the 1st project with this trouble so maybe it's going batty... I know I am.
 
.

@cj - one of the odd things ive noticed in all of cakes sample projects is that track outputs always go to a bus then to the master. cant find a single file that shows tracks going right to the master. odd for me that they would always choose not to send ANY tracks output direct to master