Sample Bit Rates - Whats Quality?

[tone4407]

I have a huge library of samples, all of which have different bit rates. Some of the samples are 705kbps, some of them are 1411kbps.


So my questions...

Does a higher bit rate signify a higher quality sample?

What is the best bit rate for samples?


Any other info on bit rates would be helpful, cause I'm lost on this topic.

- Tone

[d.dot]

kbps if I'm not mistaken is a data transfer rate (kilobytes per second) and has nothing to do with audio quality. Audio is usually denoted as 8, 16, 24, 32 or 64 bits. Generaly the higher the bit rate the better the audio. CDs are recorded at 16bits. A lot of pro audio is recorded at 24bits.


Here's a more technical insight.
http://www.tweakheadz.com/16_vs_24_bit_audio.htm

[tone4407]

Cool, thanks for the link. There was a table on that page, and 1.3mbps = 16-bit. I did a little conversion and 1411kbps = 1.3mbps. So basically, all my samples below 1411kbps are below 16bit, therefore a crap. Lol.

[Robert Dewar]

Can't resist dropping in a quick numerical comparison, since we're talking bits. Mathematically, every added bit to the wordlength of a digital byte, or word, equals a doubling of the possible points of resolution available to encode a waveform to. A 16 bit word provides 65,536 resolution points. But, a 24 bit word provides - get this - 16,777,216 resolution points, which expresses itself as a huge leap up in the encoded dynamic range of the material. The bitrate, as you are referring to, implies the total flow volume of binary data per second, to output a given program, which, obviously, if it's higher, means a more dense data stream, and so, more possibilities to work with, and a more detailed signal as a result. Anyway, you probably all knew this already, but I couldn't help myself...

[d.dot]

Originally Posted by tone4407

Cool, thanks for the link. There was a table on that page, and 1.3mbps = 16-bit. I did a little conversion and 1411kbps = 1.3mbps. So basically, all my samples below 1411kbps are below 16bit, therefore a crap. Lol.

Just curious. What software shows a sample in terms of kbps? I've never seen anything outside of sample rate and bit-depth.

[norman_nomad]

Originally Posted by tone4407

Cool, thanks for the link. There was a table on that page, and 1.3mbps = 16-bit. I did a little conversion and 1411kbps = 1.3mbps. So basically, all my samples below 1411kbps are below 16bit, therefore a crap. Lol.

Well, I'd listen first before you start dumping all your samples below 1411kbps.

It's important to understand that bits = potential dynamic range, not necissarily sound quality or "fidelity".

Sample rate refers to the potential frequency bandwidth for the samples, and in this way correlates to fidelity.

Hope this helps.

[SiqDog]

Depending on what type of music you're producing, the bit- and Hz-rate can work for or against you. Within acoustic jazz-productions, some engineers wouldn't touch digital recording-methods pre 24 bit/48.1kHz. If you're producing HipHop and Rap, some 8 bit drum-samples can express just the sound you're after. Dynamics isn't always what you're looking for..

In the end: Use your ears. It's the best reference you can have.

[Robert Dewar]

Originally Posted by d.dot

Just curious. What software shows a sample in terms of kbps? I've never seen anything outside of sample rate and bit-depth.

Some mp3 players and MPEG video players show bitrate.... more a web-oriented issue, because of the inherent bandwidth issues online.

[tone4407]

Originally Posted by d.dot

Just curious. What software shows a sample in terms of kbps? I've never seen anything outside of sample rate and bit-depth.

Its actually Windows XP that does this. In my sample folder, I simply right click the top bar (where you can sort by Name, Size, Type Date Modified, etc) and you can add more categories, one of which is Bit Rate. Its kinda handy.

Originally Posted by SiqDog

Depending on what type of music you're producing, the bit- and Hz-rate can work for or against you. Within acoustic jazz-productions, some engineers wouldn't touch digital recording-methods pre 24 bit/48.1kHz. If you're producing HipHop and Rap, some 8 bit drum-samples can express just the sound you're after. Dynamics isn't always what you're looking for...

In the end: Use your ears. It's the best reference you can have.

Thanks for the insight, thats the truth right there.

Originally Posted by norman_nomad

Well, I'd listen first before you start dumping all your samples below 1411kbps.

It's important to understand that bits = potential dynamic range, not necissarily sound quality or "fidelity".

Sample rate refers to the potential frequency bandwidth for the samples, and in this way correlates to fidelity.

Hope this helps.

Point taken. I didn't ditch them, some of them still sound quality which is all that matters.



Thanks for all the info guys!

[d.dot]

Just curious again. So i added the bit rate info in XP and browsed through my sample library. Any sample that came off of a commercially released cdrom is listed at 705kbps. These are all 16Bit 44.1 AKAI format files. The samples I recorded at 24bit, 44.1 are all listed at 1411kbps. So two things. Bit rate=the speed the sound travels down the pipe. Bit Depth=refers to the number of bits you have to capture audio.