#1682240 - 06/20/05 12:15 PM
32 bit float or 24 bit fixed ? TC + UAD + Native =
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d-dmusic_dup1
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Registered: 01/03/01
Posts: 553
Loc: Markham
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Someone asked this in a thread on another forum and got no definitive answer.
If you're DAW, VSTi's and plugs process everything in native 32 bit float and you're audio interface is 24 bit fixed, isn't it a better, more "native" option to record all files in 32 bit float ?
IMHO, the less conversions/calculations going on the better. No ?
Throw in a TC Poco which is 48 bit fixed and a UAD which is 32 bit float and you are on you're way to good hungarian goolash. Someone straighten me out please.
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#1682241 - 06/20/05 01:12 PM
Re: 32 bit float or 24 bit fixed ? TC + UAD + Native =
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(RhythmInMind)
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Registered: 07/01/04
Posts: 625
Loc: Santa Monica
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keep your audio files at 24 bit and let your DAW do it's processing in it's native 32 bit float... you can get in trouble like i just did when you need to import 32bit files into other software... i switched my home rig to protools and my older project files are 32 bit protools only deals with 24bit audio..
your daw soft/plugins can use lets say 48bit for internal processing but they dither them down before it gets back to your file...
read these dither papers if you want to understand whats going on. http://www.cadenzarecording.com
but i recommend keeping files at 24..
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#1682242 - 06/21/05 10:47 AM
Re: 32 bit float or 24 bit fixed ? TC + UAD + Native =
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Michael Hart
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Registered: 10/27/04
Posts: 53
Loc: Vancouver, Canada
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It depends. For instance in Audition 1.5, saving a session at 32 bit float means that it will reload twice as fast than at 24 bit. Also, 32 bit is best for any processing that remains to be done. Once that's final, then save to 24 bit. The dithering from 32 to 24 is very minimal, and the sound editor will take care of it for you. A tip Ronny Morris gave on the AW4416 site is this: even after saving to 24bit , keep the original 32 bit until mastering in the event that somebody points out somthing that could still need tweaking, you can access the 32 bit file easily.
Michael Hart
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#1682243 - 06/23/05 02:44 PM
Re: 32 bit float or 24 bit fixed ? TC + UAD + Native =
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d-dmusic_dup1
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Thanks guys. But, you can see that there is some question here.
Where's Nika when you need 'im ?
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#1682244 - 06/24/05 04:58 PM
Re: 32 bit float or 24 bit fixed ? TC + UAD + Native =
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Philip O'Keefe
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Registered: 12/17/00
Posts: 17674
Loc: Riverside,CA,UNITED STATES
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1. Recording all files at 32 bit through a 24 bit converter will result in nothing but zeros in the last 8 bits. No advantage there at all, and you'll need more HDD storage space if you record 32 bit files.
2. Processing at 32 bit float (which most native DAW programs do BTW) is a "good thing" IMO, due to the higher precision.
3. To me, the better processing with post recording effects is the biggest advantage to recording at higher sample rates. The sonic differences in the raw / unprocessed WAV files is far more subtle. And remember, high sample rates sound better when processed, but that also takes a lot more CPU "juice", so you'll need a pretty speedy computer if you tend to use a lot of plug ins.
4. However, I still am using 24 / 44.1 for most of my work. It sounds good to me, and I find that to be the best balance between performance / sound quality and storage requirements.
In your case, I'd probably record 24 bit.
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