Topic: 24 and 16 bit?

[su6oxone]

su6oxone, I never deliver anything but 16-bit material (usually CDs) to clients, but I record 24-bit when I have any doubt about the sound levels that might occur. I'm usually the only person recording a given event, and 24-bit recording means not having to take risks to get the levels "just right."

The only real disadvantage is the reduced recording time on a given-size memory card and the extra time needed to reset levels and dither to 16 bits when I make CDs for people. To me those are OK tradeoffs, though.

--best regards

Thanks as always DSatz!

[Jeremy Lykins]

su6oxone, I never deliver anything but 16-bit material (usually CDs) to clients, but I record 24-bit when I have any doubt about the sound levels that might occur. I'm usually the only person recording a given event, and 24-bit recording means not having to take risks to get the levels "just right."
The only real disadvantage is the reduced recording time on a given-size memory card and the extra time needed to reset levels and dither to 16 bits when I make CDs for people. To me those are OK tradeoffs, though.
--best regards

Just out of curiosity, what sample rate do you record at?  Is there much difference between 48, 88.2, 96, etc.? 

[taperwheeler]

Well assuming they tell you the truth at page 97 of the user manual:

S/N Ratio (LINE IN> LINE/OUT) 87dB or more.

As this number is below 96dB you will gain absolute nothing going from 16 to 24 bits.

The only rationale going above 16 bits is to lower the noise floor. This allows you to turn down the amplification a bit which gives you a larger margin against occasional strong sounds. You would typically add this volume once at home in your post-processing. Well, unless the noise floor goes down by going to 24 bits (contradicted by the S/N number beeing less than 96dB), all you do is use more memory space and creating hassle for yourself.

Now, remember that 16 bits carefully used are plenty good, no CD record ever produced has more, most has less.

// Gunnar

Where can I find this user manual?  The one with my dr-07 doesn't have 97 pages...Some kind of joke?

Nevermind...saw it on pg. 95...

[datbrad]

su6oxone, I never deliver anything but 16-bit material (usually CDs) to clients, but I record 24-bit when I have any doubt about the sound levels that might occur. I'm usually the only person recording a given event, and 24-bit recording means not having to take risks to get the levels "just right."
The only real disadvantage is the reduced recording time on a given-size memory card and the extra time needed to reset levels and dither to 16 bits when I make CDs for people. To me those are OK tradeoffs, though.
--best regards

Just out of curiosity, what sample rate do you record at?  Is there much difference between 48, 88.2, 96, etc.? 

I can't speak for Dsatz, but I run 48 khz. 88.2 is often used because the resampling calculations are evenly divisible when going to red book 44.1 khz. However, for video based audio formats (not DVD audio) 48 and 96 are the standards, and no video formats that I am aware of are compatable with 88.2 khz.

96 khz samples frequencies up to 48 khz bandwidth, which is out of the range of human hearing, most if not all microphones, and only a few instruments can generate tones at that high range, that still cannot be heard by humans. 48 samples up to 24 khz bandwidth, which is more than enough to capture every sound perceptable by even a 1 year old child with the best hearing he will have his entire life.

While 24 bit clearly has definable advantages for mastering, sampling rates over 48 khz are using a great deal more memory space on your storage device, with little if any sonic advantage for the amount of space used.

YMMV