This thread is here for anyone interested or already recording in 32bit Float to share gtheir experiences thoughts, ideas, techniques, questions so we may all benefit and learn through experiences abouit 32bit Float recording:
Please resist the urge to hijack, there are plenty of threads for those pro, con or unhappy.
To keep it simple, I'll start over:
I thought with a few new decks having 32bit float recording and more coming, it might be nice to have a thread dedicated to recording with this process. There are plenty of threads debating the merits and features of the decks but many of us are interested in focusing on how these decks record in 32bit float and what the results are, so I thought this might be useful.
I used my MixPre6 II on Saturday to record Gov't Mule. I ran hotter than I ever had, and I did lower the levels about 2db after the first song which was in the red the entire time. My goal was to run hot, but not super in the red at all times hot. I ran 4 channels, Schoeps MK41's Hypercardioid, and Superlux S502 Cardioid. Here are my thoughts:
I started recording in 1971. It was really hard, really hard to watch levels run regularly in the red after 48 years of avoiding the red. I did it, but I figured how hot to run will be a gradual process.
The results though were excellent! There was nothing even close to distortion. I opened in Soundforge which is what I like to use nest. I transferred the poly file to a stereo file for the Schoeps and a stereo file for the Superlux. On both files I lowered the gain on the first song 2 db and then the entire file another 2 db. The files looked perfect and sounded great. I see obvious advantages, especially when the levels at the start of the show are much hotter than expected.
The learning curve might just be does anything matter? Is any gain too much? Do I care that I have to lower the gain in post if it sounds great? Will it at any point with high hot gain sound compressed? These seem to be the details that we will all be looking at, and there probably will be a few differing opinions just like in all of our recording techniques. However, there is much more freedom. After 48 years I do not make too many mistakes and I know my mics and most local rooms, but...this was really cool, I totally look forward to using the deck more. Tonight, I will record 6 channels at a DSO show with different mics and while I do not plan to run superhot, will push my levels into the red with confidence.
To add: The DSO show sounds great. Not necessarily different than if I recorded at 24bit, but the room and volume of the show was louder than usual for the venue and that did not matter to me, I didn't need to worry. Also in post I need not worry about levels being too low. Personally I do not like to normalize as it makes my ears get tired, so sometimes if needed I play with the levels of each song especially if I recorded conservatively and the process is time consuming. I no longer have that problem, or maybe I'll still be adjusting in the future but that might be more about the difference between say an acoustic or very quiet song versus the loudest of the sets songs. I'll try to post the visual from Soundforge when I have an opportunity.