Re: 16 bit versus 24 bit recording

• Subject: Re: 16 bit versus 24 bit recording

newjazzharmony@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> If I have a workstation (e.g., Roland VS-2000CD) that supports both 16
> bit and 24 bit recording, and I only plan to release my music in CD
> format, is there any reason to use the 24 bit mode?
>
> I just read in a previous post that CDs are recorded at 16 bits.

    Lots of reasons really.  At 16 bits you have to maximize the record
levels to get a good sound - at 24 bits you don't have to, and you have
a lot of headroom, so there's less "left brain engineering" worry
there.  Also at 24 bits when you start mixing tracks together, there
are less signifigant mathematical errors than at 16 bits - when the
software starts having to round off numbers it doesn't sound as good,
and the numbers are bigger at 16 bits than at 24.  Same thing when you
start processing and adding effects, it's more precise at 24 bits.

    I would work at 24 bits and look into developing a good routine for
archiving material. I would only work at 16 bits if that was really
difficult and I couldn;t work without more disk space.

Will Miho
NY TV/Audio Post/Music/Live Sound Guy
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away..." Tom Waits

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