Exported audio lacks bass compared to playback

[Daniel Segelov]

Hi all

Apologies if this has been dealt with elsewhere. I have searched for an answer but can't find one.

For some reason, when I export tracks from Cakewalk into WAV or MP3 the resulting track is almost completely lacking any bass. It sounds completely different to the in-cakewalk playback.

I have tried both the export module and the file menu>export>audio way, but I keep getting the same results.

Export is default, Stereo, 44.1K, 16 bit depth, etc.

I am assuming I have some sort of enhancements switched on somewhere within Cakewalk, but I don't know where.

I have read numerous times about the difference in playback Windows Media Player may have compared to Cakewalk, but adjusting WMP won't help. Having uploaded tracks to Soundcloud, I have had several comments like "needs more bass!!!" and "Where's the bass!" Obviously, I can't adjust other peoples playback settings, so I need to make Cakewalk playback sound the same as it will sound in other players.

If I import the exported track back into Cakewalk, it sounds like the original playback did! ie, good! But play it on anything else, its tinny and bass-less!

Can anyone help me???

Thanks in advance!

[Nigel Mackay]

Check your Windows sound settings for the audio out you use for Cakewalk. Maybe Cakewalk goes through a Custom setting and other apps don't.

[Daniel Segelov]

58 minutes ago, Nigel Mackay said:

Check your Windows sound settings for the audio out you use for Cakewalk. Maybe Cakewalk goes through a Custom setting and other apps don't.

Hey Nigel. Thanks for replying.

I went down the rabbit hole of windows settings and found nothing at all that would indicate that there were custom settings for any app on my pc. But then I tried another export and it sounds great!

I have no idea what solved this, apart from the possibility that going through the settings somehow scared windows into performing correctly! I literally changed nothing!

Thanks for the pointer though!

[8udzik]

Hi! I've the same issue, losing bass after export to mp3. I still don't know what is the reason for that. I've to use an audio editor to add some bass to mp3 It drives me mad!

[Lord Tim]

If you import your mix back into a new Cakewalk project and it sounds fine, the problem lies outside of Cakewalk itself, likely - as was said - some other sound "enhancement" that your system has on it. Check for spatial audio, Waves MAXX and other EQ adjustments in your sound settings or your MP3 player.

[Will.]

Balance is off. What monitors are you using? 

[John Vere]

Here we go again. Watch this first.

https://youtu.be/opDwsC4_llg

Then you might want to watch them all to answer other issues. 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7YqVth30eGsURWrKGeu-fFyg3ETjF-Ox