Just a thought: Open the Empty Template (File>New>..). It's always the first one available in any of the default folders: Explore, Compose, or Production.
Create just one audio track. Make sure the output is assigned to the main outputs of your interface.
Open the Mixer in the Environment. Take note of what's there. A handy way to do this is to open Preview (in your Applications folder). With Preview open, navigate from the Preview File menu>Take Screen Shot>From Selection. Drag over the area of your screen that you want a screen shot of ( the Environment Mixer in this case) . Save the image to your desk top for easy reference.
Now drag one of the problematic audio files into the Arrange window onto the previously created audio track. Once the file has loaded, go back to your Environment Mixer. Look to see what's new and different. Take another Screen Shot.
Now drag another one of those files into an empty area of the Arrange, below the previous track. This will automatically create a new audio track for the file. Look at the Environment again.
Dragging audio onto the Arrange area is such a basic, guaranteed-success process that should result in an audio file that plays back once fully loaded.
Use of the Empty Template is a great way to problem-solve vs a fully loaded project.
Word of the Day: "unoendlichechess"
