Bit depth question for mastering with dac

[sonictnt]

Hi ,

I,m recording in Nuendo at 48/32 bit fp for mixing ,
is there something wrong if I keep the same bit depth ( 32 floating point ) for mastering with the Cranesong Hedd 192 (that works at 24 bit) like DAC for my analogue chain ?

Is better ? worst ? the same ?

Thanks in advance
Cesar

[inlinenl]

I assume you're going dig.out to your hedd dig.in

if you're going dig.out from nuendo ( in 32bits ) , there will be auto-truncation to 24bits on your audio-card , which will feed the dig-in on the hedd.

so you can choose to save to 24bits with dither before mastering or just doing/trusting autotruncate ..... it's up to you ....

32bits storage is more interesting if you'll do some ITB processing before or after the mastering.
but before sending it out off you audio-card it's not really a benefit.
IMHO

[sonictnt]

Thanks Wim ,

but dithering is not the very last process when you make downsampling to 44/16 for cd audio ?

Cesar

[inlinenl]

Sonictnt,

anytime you'll do a bit reduction ... you'll have the choice to dither or to truncate ...
so from 32 going to 24 .. and from 24 going to 16 ...
when you truncate or dither it's up to you, but you can dither twice ..

if I'm "ready" with a track .. which is always 32bits ... I dither to 24 ... and use the 32 again to dither to 16 ....

but prior to the mastering you could dither to 24, or trust the truncation.
most files I get in for mastering are 24bits.
only if you'll do some more processing before the mastering it's wise to work in 32bits.
personally I would dither to 24 instead off trusting the truncation.