Topic: how to convert 24bit to 16bit???

[svenkid]

TS-
Ive started to get into with the MT recording at 24bit, but also running the jb3 to get a 16bit.
I only have 24bit files of certain recent stuff. My questions are:

1. what program do I need to use to be able to convert from 24>16
2. How do I do this and still be able to keep the 24bit files too.

Thanks TS!

[Brian Skalinder]

<1>  Freeware Audacity will do the trick.
<2>  Simply edit / export the 16-bit WAVs, and keep a copy of the original 24-bit WAVs

This Audacity Workflow post may help:  http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=71191.0

[musicsherlock]

I also like voxengo r8brain http://www.voxengo.com/product/r8brain/

[terrapinj]

what software do you have Carl?

lots of topics here on proper workflow - you want to do any editing 1st then resample and then dither as the final step

[svenkid]

what software do you have Carl?

lots of topics here on proper workflow - you want to do any editing 1st then resample and then dither as the final step

All I use is soundforge 4.5 for level boosting and fades. Im going to try to get my audacity up and running.

[Brian Skalinder]

lots of topics here on proper workflow - you want to do any editing 1st then resample and then dither as the final step

True, plenty of operation order workflow threads.  But each application has its own unique configuration and workflow.  One must first understand how the software performs under each configuration.  For example:  does the software perform internal calculations at 16-bit?  24-bit?  32bfp?  Is it selectable, or fixed?  If operating in 32bfp for internal calculations, does it automatically dither to 24-bit upon saving the WAV?  Or must one export the WAV to achieve dithering?  Or must one dither first, and then export?  And if one's performing multiple calculations over multiple sessions, does the user need to select 32bfp as the format for the saved, in-progress file, or will the application default to the proper bit-depth upon saving?  Only once the user understands the software-specific configurations and workflow may one then configure the software and use the proper workflow to achieve the desired result.

Two reasons I bring all this up:  <1> I did not find the Adobe Audition and Audacity software-specific configurations and workflows particularly intuitive, so I spent the time to understand them and document the info for others, and <2> I've seen plenty of examples of people not using their software correctly, and I have no doubt plenty of others have not spent the time to learn their software's configuration and workflow and therefore are not utilizing their software properly.

Hence, the Audacity workflow thread I pointed out.  There's a quasi-workflow thread for Cool Edit Pro / Audition as well.  I don't know of one posted for Wavelab or Soundforge or Samplitude (may get to the latter eventually).

[terrapinj]

very true Brian - i sent carl a PM about soundforge since thats what I use - one of these days i could probably put together a more detailed work flow specific for Soundforge for the Archives here - just not much time to get into it now 

[svenkid]

sweet! I used wavelabio 5.01 and it did the trick!

[rodeen]

There's a quasi-workflow thread for Cool Edit Pro / Audition as well. 

Brian, would you post a link to the quasi-workflow for  Cool Edit Pro / Audition?  Thanks!

[Brian Skalinder]

Brian, would you post a link to the quasi-workflow for  Cool Edit Pro / Audition?  Thanks!

Here's the most relevant post, courtesy of David Klein who sorted it out long before I did and provided invaluable feedback:

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=51323.msg667890#msg667890

There's still some useful information after that, but David's post covers the bulk of discussion.

[BayTaynt3d]

What sample rate are you using? That's important b/c you need to resample to 44.1 first, then dither the 24-bit next, then truncate to 16-bit as your last step. SF is capable of doing this easily.

FWIW, I record in 24/44.1, do non-destructive editing in a 24-bit Vegas 6 project file, use the Waves L3 or IDR plugin as the last fx on my master bus with dithering set at 16-bit with noiseshaping engaged, and then just render out to a 16-bit file. Once you get it down in Vegas it's pretty easy (and I believe Vegas is running at 32-bit or higher floating point internally).

[rustoleum]

there should be no truncation required if the dithering was performed properly.

[BayTaynt3d]

there should be no truncation required if the dithering was performed properly.

That's not true. Truncation is literally how you get from 24-bit to 16-bit, it's just that if you dither the 24-bit first, then when you truncate to 16-bit, you get better results. You have to truncate to go from 24-bits to 16-bits, you have to throw away those extra bits by definition, and that's called truncating -- it's just that you can choose to dither or not dither before you perform the truncation. Now some software will dither and truncate in one operation, so you might not realize that is what is going on, but rest assured it is.

[Brian Skalinder]

there should be no truncation required if the dithering was performed properly.

Depends on the internal workflow of the application used for processing.  In CEP/Audition, the user process is:

• dither from 32bfp to 16-bit - after dithering, the data is 16-bit, but it's still stored within a 32bfp file, the remaining 16-bits are just padded zeroes
• truncate to 16-bit - this removes the padded zeroes
• Save As 16-bit, this obviously saves the 16-bit data within a 16-bit file

Some applications perform the truncation in step 2 as part of the dithering or savings process and don't require the user to do it independently.  However, CEP/Audition does require the user to do it manually.

[BayTaynt3d]

Ha! We answered the same thing within a minute of each other. LOL!