Original Message                 Date: 11-Oct-04  @  10:21 AM   -   the final stage

Dominic

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I'm having difficulty understanding something. If I am choosing to have my drum sample VST samples to be 32 bit on load and am bouncing down my soft synths to WAV's at 24 bit, then do I choose to record (on my CDR 2 track) at 16 bit or 24 bit and can people I send a 24 bit CDR to, play it on a standard system. Sorry if this is a crap, basic question.

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Message 11/60                 Date: 12-Oct-04  @  09:40 PM   -   RE: the final stage

psylichon

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DATs are dead, 16-bit is dead... at least in the pro studio world. Most mastering houses want the highest bitrate and sample rate you can give them, which usually means delivery on data CD or DVD. We want all the dynamic range you can offer us so we can eliminate as much as possible.

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Message 12/60                 Date: 12-Oct-04  @  09:43 PM     Edit: 12-Oct-04  |  09:45 PM   -   RE: the final stage

psylichon

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at our studio, even if a project comes in as a 16/44.1 session, if it is to be mixed analog, we mixdown to a Masterlink at 24/96, then blow that back into Pro-Tools for mastering. The last plugin in the mastering chain is a 16-bit dither, and we cut right into the 24/96k pro-tools session. The dither plugin results in a 16-bit master with an 8-bit pad of zeros that gets trunctated on export (remember it's already been dithered). The sample rate conversion also happens upon export.

If you're working all in the computer (with virtual synths and such), most DAWs use a 32-bit floating engine. If you're bouncing down "inside the box" you want to retain as much of that dynamic resolution as possible, so bounce to 24-bit at whatever sample rate your project is. That will yield better results than going out analog or digital to a 16-bit CD burner.

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Message 13/60                 Date: 13-Oct-04  @  12:38 PM   -   RE: the final stage

Dominic

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Thanks gents. Let me just get this all clear in my mind:-

1. DATs are dead.

2. 16 bits are dead but I should record at 16 bits on a standalone CDR burner if I want to be able to send a CDR to my DJ mate for him to play out in a club before I send anything of to be mastered.

3. One should not record a CDR at 24 bits because not everyone would be able to play it on the club CD player/deck.

4. But I should record my master at 24 bit for the mastering house.

5. A pioneer 106 will be an excellent choice for me to record my final mixes too (straight out of the main mix of my mackie desk) for both 16 bit and 24 bit.

6. I should make my drum VST load drum samples at "32bit on load" and I should bounce down my soft synths to 24 bit WAV's.

Thanks guys. Its taken me 4 years of blood,sweat and tears to get a track to the stage when I'm finally ready to record it and send it off to the labels.

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Message 14/60                 Date: 13-Oct-04  @  12:42 PM   -   RE: the final stage

Dominic

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Or maybe a masterlink would be better for me to record 24 bit mixes too!?!

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Message 15/60                 Date: 13-Oct-04  @  01:40 PM     Edit: 13-Oct-04  |  01:42 PM   -   RE: the final stage

SignalRunners - BLU

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^^^

Audio cd for 16bit-

data cd for 24 bit-

id still record the master at 24bit, but make a 16 bit audio cd off that version, ( using a dither plug if i was feeling saucy)

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Message 16/60                 Date: 13-Oct-04  @  03:12 PM   -   RE: the final stage

Dominic

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Thanks Blu.

Psy - will a masterlink convert a 24 bit recording to a 16 bit CDR internally?

And how do you rate the A/D convertors? Turnkey are selling the masterlink for £519 and I'm wondering if I should go for this as the last link in my chain or something else.

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Message 17/60                 Date: 14-Oct-04  @  06:44 AM   -   RE: the final stage

psylichon

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Dom, what are mixing down from? If it's a computer, you got yer 24-bit recorder right there... just bounce down internally at 24-bit resolution or feed an analog mix back into two stereo channels and record them right into your project.

This is a rather complicated issue, but some simple searches on Google will bring up all sorts of methods for getting your master at whatever resolution/format you need. I would advise reading up on it some more before diving into a purchase on a mixdown deck.

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Message 18/60                 Date: 14-Oct-04  @  09:51 AM   -   RE: the final stage

Dominic

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Cheer Psy. This is exactly my problem though psy. I have been trying to mix straight back into Logic Plat but after my tracks go through all the compression stages and through the multi compressor via the desk main inserts, the signal is just too hot for Logic to handle. However, when I record the same signal into my Tascam DAT machine, the signal seems OK and I have the analogue input pot at nearly exactly the same place as when I used to be an assistant in studio's 3 years ago and we used to put down the final mix on their dat players so I am presuuming that the siganl coming from my desk (finished mix) is the right level because I am comparing the DAT imput knobs to a pro studio dat machine. ( I hope that all made sense) Also I was thinking that the masterlink would have far superior A/D convertors and the ability to dither down from 24 bits to 16 bits much better than the Logic Plat native dither plugin. I'm really not diving in and rushing to make a purchase as I'd have to offload some old studio gear first like my MPC to be able to buy it.

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Message 19/60                 Date: 14-Oct-04  @  04:56 PM   -   RE: the final stage

psylichon

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I think you just have a nominal operating level mismatch. Most likely, your desk is outputting +4dB balanced signal and your soundcard inputs are -10dB unbalanced. A simple convertor box is all you would need, or perhaps an upgrade on your soundcard if you really wanna spend some money? ;)

If you don't mind telling us, what is your entire mastering chain. Knowing that, I could advise you better.

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Message 20/60                 Date: 14-Oct-04  @  06:50 PM   -   RE: the final stage

milan

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^^^ i second psy re. gain mismatch.

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