When recording @ 16 bit with 24 bit soundcards will the 16 bit recordings sound same?

[rokuez]

bump
These are my reasons for staying in 16 bit and not 24

1) because none of the music hardware that i'm tracking is 24 bit. <--- is this entirely logical? I've already read that nyquist article http://www.lavryengineering.com/docu...ing_Theory.pdf which explains different sample rates n such.

I also understand that 24 bit 44.1 gives you more bit - depth, but i'm not entirely sure what bit-depth means to the ears.


2) I'm also unsure about the maximum number of tracks I could record with my PC's hardware.

At the least I would like to track the two 1/4 left and right stereo outs of the EIII , and the 8 outs of the mpc 60 . So thats ten 1/4 inputs i need to track, which is why i thought about going with the rme ff800.

Idealy I would like to track the 16 mono outs of the EIII because there is an analog filter for each out, and the 8 outs of the mpc 60 mk1, which is why i'm considering daisy chaining delta 1010's for twenty four 1/4 inputs.

3) Another reason for tracking at 16 bit 44.1 khz is just to maximize tracking ability and minimize the space it takes up on the harddrive. I'm not too keen on buying another computer until intel's conroe cpu's have been out and their prices have dropped sufficiently


f you are recording at 16 bit 44.1 khz with a 24 bit soundcard will the 16 bit recording sound similar enough on say a high end rme ff800 compared to a delta 1010 ? <---- still need someone to answer that Question hopefulyl somemone who has compared a high end and low end 24 bit soundcard and recorded with both at 16 bit 44.1

[Lagerfeldt]

Unless you are truly pressed for space and DSP power you need to use 24 bits. There's a remarkable difference in terms of lost spacial information, some harshness and a lot of audible quantizing errors when using 16 bits compared to 24 bits.

Bits and sample rates are two difference sizes, think of bit depth as the vertical resolution (possible dynamic range) and sample rate the as the horizontal (frequency) resolution.

While your hardware (EIII e.g.) might only sample in 16 bits you're using its analog outputs, and capturing the sound A/D via the FF800 you should use 24 bits for best resolution. The second you're recording from an analog out (even though the actual unit might be digital inside) you will benefit from recording at 24 bits.

I would say that it means less on sampled drums and some synthesizers. The difference between recording at 16 bits and 24 bits will be significantly reduced. But try listening to the difference on softer passages, strings, vocals, a flute, etc. and you will only want to use 24 bits.

[Lagerfeldt]

Once you record in 24 bits in your DAW, it will usually operate internally at 32 bit float or maybe 48 bit fixed (ProTools TDM) when processing.

When you bounce your mix for mastering, it should be as a 24 bit file with a peak reference at around -6 to -3 dBFS (the digital ceiling).

During the mastering process the file is kept at the highest possible resolution digitally and when treated via analog gear, captured at 24 bits again. During the final bounce in mastering dithering is applied while going from 24 bits (or higher) and down to 16 bits, which is the required bit rate for an audio cd.

Dithering is a process that adds a type of arbitrary low noise signal (sometimes shaped via psycho acoustics to make it less obvious to the ear) to enhance the perception of dynamics. This enables a 16 bit audio file to sound closer to the original file, maybe approaching 20 bits of resolution in an actual 16 bit file.

A very popular type of dithering is the POW-r#3 (or #1), which is heavily noise shaped.

Once dithered, the file should never be alterede in any way, no eq, no compression, no gain changes or fades. All this should be performed pre-dithering.

Multiple dithering of 16 bit files is not a good idea as the dithering algorithm then can become very audible. So don't record and process files in a multitracking session using dither, especially not if you're going to do any further processing to the files.

[Chaellus]

yes you should record at least to 24bit 44.1khz there is a diffrence