Rendering overdriven Audio creates 0dB File - what does Ableton do here?

[SimonAbsent]

Here is the situation:

I have a Track finished - it overdrives the Master section visibly.

So I would expect to get an overdriven Audio File after rendering - but I do not!
The File is perfectly 0dB

Normalization in the rendering tab is deactivated - I dont have a Limiter or anything that would cause this.

Looking at the File I realize it has been reduced in audio Volume. I know thius because the BassDrum was dialed in at -10dB - the rendered File has the BassDrum at -15dB

To me it looks like Ableton looks at the file - finds the highest peak and sets the overall loudness accordingly - like I said there is no normalization acrivated in the rendering process.

So my question is:

Can you explain what I have found here - is there some other setting I am not aware of in my Ableton 9 ?

Thank you!

[fishmonkey]

0dBFS is the maximum possible level of a rendered file, by definition. the audio will be hard-clipped. depending on what you have rendered and your playback equipment, you might find it hard to hear the clipping...

[Tarekith]

Except for 32bit floating point files, they can record values over 0dBFS FWIW.