audio export issues

lately alot of exports (mostly QuickTime h264) cuts off the audio just a tiny little bit at the start. it's subtle, but just enough to make it unusable. the original files are WAV. I really don't have a clue what could cause it. does anyone recognize this, and have tips to get around it?

resolve 17.1

Is this behaviour also present with audio-only deliverables or only with video exports?

Same behaviour with Resolve 17.1.1?

I only know about video+audio.

i can't try a different version yet, i'm in the middle of some projects. but i know this has been happening before. I also tried it at some mac systems here, but it also happens there. sometimes not. it's pretty random. i also got visual problems/artifacts with mxf exports. i'm really in the middle of a frustration phase now, i just cannot deliver... sigh..

Do you have any Noise Reduction effects in play for the audio?

nope. not a single effect. not even a volume change, it's just one wave file.

but "good" news, After a few tries per timeline i finally got it out of resolve correctly. i have no idea why though. 14 timelines ,3/4 minutes length average. so all good now. but my god that was a bad experience...

However i do want to know how to prevent this.