Recording 32bit(float) vs. 24bit

[oliverbuhr]

Hi,

inspired by the thread about 16/24bit recording I was wondering if 32bit recording would increase quality, not just size.
I'm using Cubase VST32, but i never used the option called "true tape" which seems to be only a sort of compressor.

And I've never seen (or have I overseen?) a 32bit capable recordingcard until now.

Does anybody of you use 32bit? If yes, for what reason?

[malsony]

i use 24bit.
it's ok, 'cos the difference could seldom be told

[BrothersGrim]

I agree with Malsony, the human ear can only hear so much. anything above 16 bit is pretty much a really HUGE file and you can't hear the difference... You hear about 8bit, 16bit, 24bit blah, blah but does anyone know what that really means? I do....:)

[jon-paul]

Well guy this is the situation. you only use 32 bit or 24 bit if you are going to be editing your recording alot and i mean alot. everytime you edit your recording by adding effects or cutting or adding eq bla bla bla you lose some of the quality. if you have recorded a 64 piece orchestra and each one of them needs editing then you could lose a bit of quality and so by recording in 32 bit this gives your editng monouvering space and still means that you end up with a recording that is at CD quality.

I only know this because i am doing a Degree in Music Production in England. if you want to know more Email me directly

Hope this has cleared up the conffusion about 32 and 24 bit recordings

cheers jp

[acieed]

IMHO, I believe you can hear the difference better when you're recording stuff such as live drums.

[Graeme]

Originally posted by jon-paul
[B]Well guy this is the situation. you only use 32 bit or 24 bit if you are going to be editing your recording alot and i mean alot. everytime you edit your recording by adding effects or cutting or adding eq bla bla bla you lose some of the quality.

Well - almost right. If you are going to be doing a lot of post processing on a file, then 32 bit float is the format of choice, as it's scaleable and (for all practical purposes) you can't exceed the clipping point. When re-sampling down (as would normally be required to make a CD) the rounding errors, which are present in both 16 and 24 bit systems do not occur.

The downside of all this is very large files, so you have to make a judgement call on the need to actually do this.

To pick up on oliverbuhr's question - you'll never see 32 bit hardware, since it's potential dynamic range far exceeds the physical possibility of construction. People who want/need to use 32bit float files upsample them in softwae (eg Adobe Audtion) before starting work.

Originally posted by jon-paul
[B]I only know this because i am doing a Degree in Music Production in England.

I don't know what they teach you guys these days, but someone doing a degree in music production really should know that the processes you are referring to are not called 'editing' - that's something else entirely.

I know this as someone who learned the business through practical application, not academia.

[Graeme]

I should have also said, if you are truly only editing - ie cutting things up and re-positioning them - then it matters not one iota what format the track is in, since this process does not affect the quality, it will remain exactly the same.