Old Pro Tools Mix Dither Question

[serviceairtech@]

Did a search and couldn't find an answer, but I was wondering about dither in the old pro tools mix systems. I'm running version 5.1.? and want to make sure I'm applying the dither at the right place.

For stuff I master, or for a demo, I mix out of my pro tools rig into my outboard eq, comp, or whatever, and bring it back into my 24bit session through my Apogee convertors with uv22 applied. I believe this creates a 16 bit file with the dither, but still appears as 24bit in pro tools. I don't do any gaining or anything and export the files as 16bit files. I'm pretty sure that this is ok, but just want to make sure I'm doing it right. Anyone do this or do it another way?

I've also thought of just re-recording to a stereo track with the powr dither plugin maybe on a stereo aux track feeding that stereo track, instead of adding the uv22 at the input stage. Or would that be doing the same thing if I'm just exporting the files the same way?

I guess I'm trying to figure out if exporting the files out of pro tools is adding another dither and if it is, another way to get the files out of the session to be burned in Toast. Sorry if I'm not making sense here.

Thanks.
Nate

[serviceairtech@]

Is this the right forum to post this question?

I'd try it at another forum, but don't want to duplicate the post and thought that this might be the place. Maybe not a lot are using the old mix setup. Thanks for any help here.

[dannygold]

You shouldn't need UV22 if you're recording into a 24 bit file. The UV22 feature on the apogee lets you record 16 bit files with higher resolution, as I understand it. Dither during the 24 bit to 16 bit conversion, whenever that occurs. During bounce, perhaps or during mastering. If you have a dither plugin you can put that on the master fader during 24>16 bit bounces.