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