ok, no. this is a sound card issue. when i play the rendered file through the mixer as a sound card, it sounds "right".

no two sound cards are going to sound identical. the fact that i can tell the difference here is just a function of my meticulousness.

but, it's a general point that is accurate. if you want to hear it exactly the way i'm making it, you need to use exactly the same equipment. that's true of everybody that makes music.

it's an alesis 16-track multimix that connects via firewire. i use an m-audio "audiophile" card that's designed to connect to old fashioned stereo systems for general playback. normally, the difference in the render is minimal, but because the effects here are so subtle it makes the difference in that bit of bass distortion....

i guess that means that some people aren't going to hear the mix properly. i already knew that. but i guess the upside is that the distortion is more likely to disappear than overpower, which is probably preferable.

i still need to do things, and it's still going to need to wait until i come back, but i'm not going to have to take anything apart....

everything sounds good except that last acoustic...