Help, master bus always clipping in Reaper

[viralz]

For example: even if all my tracks are showing -5db, the master bus clips at +8db. This is annoying cause I have to bring the master level down and then I lose a lot of volume in the entire mix.

When I was using cubase I don't recall having this problem. Is this a typical behavior in Reaper?

thanks for your help

 

[arv_foh]

put a limiter on the master bus or turn the rest of the faders down

 

[Trevoire520]

For example: even if all my tracks are showing -5db, the master bus clips at +8db. This is annoying cause I have to bring the master level down and then I lose a lot of volume in the entire mix.

When I was using cubase I don't recall having this problem. Is this a typical behavior in Reaper?

thanks for your help

If you take a track and make a duplicate of it then you have added 6db of level at your master, so if you have a whole session of tracks that are recorded up to -5db you're going WAY over your digital maximum of 0dBfs.

(the following example is assuming you're using a mono bus, just to get around the differences that can be caused by different panning laws)

one track at -5db = -5db
two tracks at -5db = +1db
three tracks at -5db = +7db

But in digital audio we have a maximum level of 0db, you're now clipping your master bus as it cannot go above that 0db limit. Not good.

Turn your tracks down and your speakers up! Continue mixing. Simples!

 

[viralz]

Cool, thanks for sharing your knowledge, I was afraid I was doing something wrong. I can go mix in peace now