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Arny Krueger
 
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Default 16 bit vs 24 bit, 44.1khz vs 48 khz <-- please explain

"Roger W. Norman" wrote in message

"Kurt Albershardt" wrote in message
...
Also: due to the way computers store information, 18 bit PCM takes
the same amount of disk space as does 24 bit PCM (and often the same
amount as does 32 bit floating point PCM data.)


Well, my point wasn't that using 24 bit has anything wrong with it,
nor, with the cost of storage today, is there a problem with using 24
bit for any project. In fact, the processing aspects of digital
certainly require that you use 24 bit, and save it as 32 bit floating
point if you can. I was just trying to make it clear that there are
technical aspects of 24 bit converters that wouldn't necessarily make
them better than 16 bit in given circumstances. Pretty much the
concept of choosing one's tools to fit the job.


Agreed. One thing to realize is that most if not all of the major chip
makers have unflinchingly released 24/96 and 24/192 converters with worse
measured dynamic range than some of their earlier 16/44 converters. There's
a part of the market that is all about numbers.

When I go out and do
location recordings, I still use Tascam DA38s and I've not had one
client that wasn't happy with the recordings. They might not have
liked the performances, but that's a different story. My last
submission to A Fifth of RAP was recorded onto DA38, and it sounds
pretty good to me (obviously biased) with plenty of dynamics. The
room lacked something and 24 bits wouldn't necessarily have bought me
anything more. The same with Scott Dorsey's extremely dynamic
recording. And again, Tonebarge absolute knocks one out of the park
with his Mackie/Adat combination (although he uses different pres for
tracking).


I just didn't want any lurkers to think that only 24 bit converters
are a solution to any recording problems they might have. Again,
it's the use of the tools rather than the tools themselves.


I think that this is one of the most important messages that a group like
this has to present to newbies.