Final Cut: audio track not audible when reopening FCP file after quitting

FCP v11.2 -- Mac Mini -- Tahoe 26.1

When I reopen a Final Cut Pro project aftering quitting the program, the audio track is not audible. The only way I have been able to fix it is to have a duplicate of the m4a audio and simply drop onto the previous audio track to Replace it. (I use a duplicate m4a so it is forced to reload/replace the audio.) The video project uses one continuous m4a as the audio track -- and building the video on top of that.

Editing and saving are completely normal. Nothing is muted or disabled (v). The audio plays normally and project exports normally -- until I quit FCP and start it up again to continue editing the project...and I have to Replace the audio track to get sound.

Doesn't matter which audio output device I have selected. I don't change anything else about the setup from one editing session to the next. No missing clips. Happens on every FCP project, not just one.

Thanks for any insight.