1. I have tried every audio driver shown that works and it's made no difference. This audio issue appears in the rendered output too, not just live playback, no matter where it's played.

2. Movie Studio 9 (32 bit) uses the "qt7plugin.dll" to import MP4 files - and it works properly there:

Plug-In
    Name:            qt7plug.dll
    Folder:          C:\Program Files (x86)\Sony\Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 9.0\FileIO Plug-Ins\qt7plug
    Format:          QuickTime 7
    Version:         Version 1.0 (Build 4013)
    Company:         Sony Creative Software Inc.

Vegas Pro 14 and up (64 bit) use the "compoundplug.dll" decoder for MP4 imports - and it does NOT work properly on my system (Win10 64-bit) producing glitches in the audio:

Plug-In
  Name: compoundplug.dll
  Folder: C:\Program Files\VEGAS\VEGAS Pro 14.0\FileIO Plug-Ins\compoundplug
  Format: AVC
  Version: Version 14.0 (Build 270) 64-bit
  Company: MAGIX Computer Products Intl. Co.

The info you requested:

Media info:

General
Complete name                            : C:\Demo\HPF.mp4
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : Base Media
Codec ID                                 : isom (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
File size                                : 2.83 MiB
Duration                                 : 20 s 447 ms
Overall bit rate                         : 1 159 kb/s
Writing application                      : Lavf59.16.100

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : High@L3
Format settings                          : 1 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC                   : No
Format settings, Reference frames        : 1 frame
Format settings, GOP                     : M=1, N=60
Codec ID                                 : avc1
Codec ID/Info                            : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                                 : 19 s 934 ms
Bit rate                                 : 659 kb/s
Width                                    : 720 pixels
Height                                   : 468 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 3:2
Frame rate mode                          : Constant
Frame rate                               : 30.000 FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.065
Stream size                              : 1.57 MiB (55%)
Color range                              : Limited
Color primaries                          : BT.709
Transfer characteristics                 : BT.709
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.709
Codec configuration box                  : avcC

Audio
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : AAC LC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID                                 : mp4a-40-2
Duration                                 : 20 s 447 ms
Source duration                          : 20 s 468 ms
Source_Duration_LastFrame                : -12 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 509 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Channel layout                           : L R
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate                               : 46.875 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 1.24 MiB (44%)
Source stream size                       : 1.24 MiB (44%)
Default                                  : Yes
Alternate group                          : 1

Vegas Project settings (told to match video file):

General
  Name: HPF.mp4
  Folder: C:\RJ Studios\Website stuff\Demo Videos\Pristine Peaks\Plugin Demo
  Type: AVC
  Size: 2.89 MB (2,963,230 bytes)
  Created: Wednesday, November 16, 2022, 9:30:50 PM
  Modified: Wednesday, November 16, 2022, 9:30:54 PM
  Accessed: Sunday, November 20, 2022, 5:34:06 PM
  Attributes: Archive

Streams
  Video: 00:00:19.900, 30.050 fps progressive, 720x468x12, AVC
  Audio: 00:00:20.446, 48,000 Hz, Stereo, AAC

ACID information
  ACID chunk: no
  Stretch chunk: no
  Stretch list: no
  Stretch info2: no
  Beat markers: no
  Detected beats: no

Other metadata
  Regions/markers: no
  Command markers: no

Media manager
  Media tags: no

Plug-In
  Name: compoundplug.dll
  Folder: C:\Program Files\VEGAS\VEGAS Pro 14.0\FileIO Plug-Ins\compoundplug
  Format: AVC
  Version: Version 14.0 (Build 270) 64-bit
  Company: MAGIX Computer Products Intl. Co.

Upload an actual sample file to Drive or Dropbox, if that is easier for you than providing the file properties for VP20, or answering the first question.

"qt7plug.dll" plugin is the Quicktime plug-in needed for some "mov" files. Something strange here.

Newer Vegas than 14 should be using so4compound for MP4 AVC files.

Newer Vegas than 14 should be using so4compound for MP4 AVC files.

Whatever it's using it's creating discontinuities in the audio stream on the RIGHT channel.

"qt7plug.dll" plugin is the Quicktime plug-in needed for some "mov" files. Something strange here.

Agree! But that's what Movie Studio 9 shows and the file plays properly. The same MP4 file when loaded in both Vegas Pro v14 and v20 does NOT play properly. Don't know what Magix changed but SOMETHING broke and it happened when they went to 64-bit.

How was this media file created? I've observed no issues with MP4 and AAC low complexity in VP 15-20.
Can you upload a sample for testing? Which audio driver are you testing with?

Here is Mediainfo from one of my working files:

Audio
ID                             : 2
Format                         : AAC LC
Format/Info                    : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID                       : mp4a-40-2
Duration                       : 2 min 44 s
Bit rate mode                  : Variable
Bit rate                       : 192 kb/s
Maximum bit rate               : 325 kb/s
Channel(s)                     : 2 channels
Channel layout                 : L R
Sampling rate                  : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate                     : 46.875 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode               : Lossy
Stream size                    : 3.72 MiB (1%)
Language                       : English
Encoded date                   : UTC 2018-04-10 13:32:46
Tagged date                    : UTC 2018-04-10 13:32:46

Upload an actual sample file to Drive or Dropbox, if that is easier for you than providing the file properties for VP20, or answering the first question.

Microsoft Sound Mapper, Direct Surround Sound Mapper, Windows Classic Wave Driver and M-Audio ASIO Driver all reveal the same thing - glitching audio on the RIGHT channel. On closer listen it is happening to varying degrees with all MP4 files I import to Vegas Pro 14 or Movie Studio 13.

This is not an output issue - it's an input issue. The audio defects are not in the MP4 source files as confirmed by the files playing properly in other apps. The defects are being generated during MP4 import to Vegas Pro/Movie Studio. The video project rendered from Vegas Pro/Movie Studio contain these errors and can be heard regardless of where they're subsequently played (other computers, cellphone, etc.).

In your first reply to this post you said, "You have provided file properties for VP 14, a retired product. Yet you state the problem exists in V20.."

Yes - I wanted to see if the problem still existed in the v20 trial - and it does. Same exact problem. It does NOT occur in my old Movie Studio 9 which is 32-bit. The problem appears to have begun when Magix went 64-bit starting with Vegas Pro 14.

I upgrade from Movie Studio 9 to 10 - then 13 - then finally Vegas Pro 14 but Movie Studio 9 is the only one of these 4 apps that imports the MP4 files correctly (but lacks the other features I need and paid for). I don't know what Magix changed when they went to 64-bit but, at least on my system, they broke something. I've been converting MP4 to MOV as a workaround because that format DOES import and play correctly. The question is why do I have to do that?

If it's happening across drivers and versions and media, try a reset to Vegas as this isn't a common issue with Vegas.
https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/faq-how-can-i-reset-vegas-pro-to-default-settings--104646/

If it's happening across drivers and versions and media, try a reset to Vegas as this isn't a common issue with Vegas.
https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/faq-how-can-i-reset-vegas-pro-to-default-settings--104646/

Tried that with no change. Completely removed and reinstalled - no change. Installed different versions as well (as stated above) and no change. All 64-bit versions of Vegas and Movie Studio do this. Older, 32-bit versions do not.

Thanks for attempting it. Bizarre, I've never seen that or reports of it.

If it's not media, Vegas settings, Vegas version or audio driver that leaves Vegas x hardware as a potential issue? Can you add your full system specs to your original post here?

RogerS - You first asked, "How was this media file created? I've observed no issues with MP4 and AAC low complexity in VP 15-20..."

The MP4 files I am importing were created on a screen capture program called Active Presenter.

Attached is an example MP4 source file (captured from a blank screen area for proprietary reasons) along with the final render of that same file from Vegas Pro. You can hear obvious glitching in the rendered video that is NOT in the source file. I hear that same glitching immediately upon import of this MP4 file into Vegas Pro or Movie Studio 64-bit versions regardless of any project audio or video settings.

If I convert this same MP4 file to MOV (using ffmpeg) and import THAT file into Vegas it plays properly. So, AFAIK, there seems to be something wrong with the Magix 64-bit MP4 importer/decoder.

I haven't heard of this software. Can you show a screenshot of its audio settings?

Does this issue persist for all MP4 files you import? Ones created by cameras directly, downloaded from the internet, etc?

I haven't heard of this software. Can you show a screenshot of its audio settings?

Does this issue persist for all MP4 files you import? Ones created by cameras directly, downloaded from the internet, etc?

Did you listen to the examples I posted above? The noise/glitchy/scratchy sound is not in the file coming out of the screen capture program (the file on the left) but is very obvious in the render from Vegas (the file on the right). It does NOT sound like this when imported into Movie Studio 9.

Screen capture MP4 output settings. I also tried exporting at 24fps, different widths/heights, etc. - made no difference. Source audio in the screen capture is also at 48kHz - so sample rate conversion should not be a factor.

@jeff-rippe Please upload a short sample file to a cloud service as previously suggested. Others can then download it and try on their systems. This should enable us to identify whether it's a common problem or something unique to your setup.

Those audio settings are really basic so can't say anything from that. At this point I think it's likely a media issue as you didn't confirm that you have the same issue with all MP4s regardless of source.

Please provide a sample- you can just make a fake recording of yourself with the same settings and get us the output straight from that software.

@jeff-rippe Please upload a short sample file to a cloud service as previously suggested. Others can then download it and try on their systems. This should enable us to identify whether it's a common problem or something unique to your setup.

Sorry, I assumed when I "uploaded" a file to this thread that others were able to download it.

Here are the same two files posted to my Google drive:

Source MP4 from screen recording: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kXKxTz0STMG7hed8SAf5Xh5K8pdTqZf8/view?usp=share_link

Same audio after MP4 was imported into Vegas Pro then rendered out as new MP4 with same fps and audio sample rate: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1z3e2c5YyJTSkf9CA5kR_IlTMMy2M8L3g/view?usp=share_link

>>you didn't confirm that you have the same issue with all MP4s regardless of source.

Yes - it happens with other sources as well. I have traced the problem to the MP4 decoder. Other formats I import work fine.

Thanks for uploading the files- that's very helpful. In MPC Black Edition one sounded fine and the one after Vegas almost sounded like it had wind noise.

In VP 19 with legacy AVC off (so4compoundplug) both files sounded distorted.
In VP 20 with legacy AVC off (so4compoundplug) both files sounded distorted.
In VP 20 with legacy AVC on (compoundplug.dll) both files sounded distorted

It's like the rumble off the drum is wrongly interpreted in the right channel and becomes a crackle. I don't see this with other media.

@jeff-rippe

I just couldn't resist...

It happened before Magix.

Going forward, if you're only interested in the audio track, you might try recording MKV and extract the PCM audio.

In MPC Black Edition one sounded fine and the one after Vegas almost sounded like it had wind noise.

It's like the rumble off the drum is wrongly interpreted in the right channel and becomes a crackle. I don't see this with other media.

Exactly! Thank you for confirming. I have loaded this same MP4 file elsewhere (DaVinci Resolve, Pro Tools, Media Player, etc.) and it plays properly. So, IMO, there is something wrong with the Magix MP4 decoder and it is in all 64-bit versions from Vegas v14 to v20. The 32-bit version of Movie Studio (9) that I have does NOT do this.

@jeff-rippe

I just couldn't resist...

It happened before Magix.

Going forward, if you're only interested in the audio track, you might try recording MKV and extract the PCM audio.

If it's been a known problem for a long time why didn't someone fix it? The 32-to 64-bit transition circa Magix transition is when I first saw it appear.

I'm not only interested in the audio track - but I want the audio track to sound right!

Yes - my workaround has been to convert MP4 files to MOV (or extracting audio as a separate wave file) using ffmpeg and THEN import to Vegas. If I do that with this file it plays fine.

So, again, there is a problem in the 64-bit MP4 decoder that Magix is using (before or after they took over, IDK/IDC). Other apps decoders do not produce those errors. So, IMO, there's a bug.

@jeff-rippe

"If it's been a known problem for a long time why didn't someone fix it? The 32-to 64-bit transition circa Magix transition is when I first saw it appear."

I'm not sure if it is a "known bug".

'I'm not only interested in the audio track - but I want the audio track to sound right!'

If you're interested in very editable video and audio screen captures, try OBS Studio. It allows one to record to ProRes with PCM audio. That's what I do.

"So, IMO, there's a bug."

File a trouble ticket with Magix.