One stereo audio track at unity. Why is it clipping?

[azium]

I feel like this is probably a commonly asked question, so bare with me if you've answered this before.

 

I start a brand new logic session with a stereo audio track. Its, and masters faders set at unity. I throw in an apple loop and it's already clipping +3.5 db.

 

This goes against everything I know about how audio works. Logic is interally boosting the db somehow (or that's what it seems to be telling me).

 

Why is it clipping?

[Scott Jackson]

I start a brand new logic session with a stereo audio track. Its, and masters faders set at unity. I throw in an apple loop and it's already clipping +3.5 db.

 

This goes against everything I know about how audio works. Logic is interally boosting the db somehow (or that's what it seems to be telling me).

 

Why is it clipping?

 

So, you placed sounds on a track and they're clipping? Hmmm, maybe bring the volume fader down until the track stops clipping?

[azium]

Sure, I can do that. But *why* would an audio track clip when the fader is set to unity, with no additional gain anywhere else. Any digital audio couldn't possibly be higher than 0db (it would just be square off if it was peaking before it was rendered), so where is the additional gain coming from?