Cubase 32bit or 24bit ?

**markgo** · 09-26-2005 07:59 AM

Hi,
I have bought an M-Audio Delta44 to use with cubase to increase recording clarity/headroom etc. I assumed the best setting then was to record at 96k/24 bit as per the spec of the card.
To maximise quality in clean tracks and resolution of reverb plugins (which still sound muddy) should I be using 32bit float?

thanks
Mark.

**ghellquist** · 09-26-2005 10:13 AM

Hi Mark,
from what you write I expect you to be more or less a beginner in the audio world. I will write this from that point. As time goes and you learn more and find out about these things you will use your own ears and experience to change things.

So my suggestion is that you use 44.1kHz and 24 bit. There is rarely any really big difference going above 44.1kHz as sampling frequency. As for 24 bits of resolution I find that it saves a lot of trouble, not necessarily that it sounds very different from 16bits. The trouble you save is not having to be quite as exact with setting up levels.

Inside Cubase (at least the modern versions) are all 32 bit, but there is not much to think about there as that is done inside the program.

From the point of 44.1 / 24 you can start on making your recordings better. Positioning the mic and sound proofing your room is one of the things to work on.

Gunnar

**ghellquist** · 09-26-2005 10:23 AM

Hi Mark,
from what you write I expect you to be more or less a beginner in the audio world. I will write this from that point. As time goes and you learn more and find out about these things you will use your own ears and experience to change things.

So my suggestion is that you use 44.1kHz and 24 bit. There is rarely any really big difference going above 44.1kHz as sampling frequency. As for 24 bits of resolution I find that it saves a lot of trouble, not necessarily that it sounds very different from 16bits. The trouble you save is not having to be quite as exact with setting up levels.

Inside Cubase (at least the modern versions) are all 32 bit, but there is not much to think about there as that is done inside the program.

From the point of 44.1 / 24 you can start on making your recordings better. Positioning the mic and sound proofing your room is one of the things to work on.

Gunnar

**markgo** · 09-26-2005 02:38 PM

No, just new to Cubase and 96/24 technology.
Done some tracks at 24 and wondered for example if recording in 32 would brighten the Cubase reverb plugins.

ta

**RemyRAD** · 09-26-2005 10:19 PM

I am an old-timer and record everything in 16-bit, 44.1kHz. 24 and 32-bit is fine if you think eating 2 quarter pounders is better than eating 1 quarter pounder. Bit levels will not brighten the sound. It only means that you have more dots in the connect the dots picture. 32-bits means greater resolution and that's all. Good technique and equalization in your mix can brighten the sound, besides, CDs are still 16-bit 44.1kHz.

**Cucco** · 09-27-2005 06:11 AM

Originally Posted by RemyRAD

I am an old-timer and record everything in 16-bit, 44.1kHz. 24 and 32-bit is fine if you think eating 2 quarter pounders is better than eating 1 quarter pounder. Bit levels will not brighten the sound. It only means that you have more dots in the connect the dots picture. 32-bits means greater resolution and that's all. Good technique and equalization in your mix can brighten the sound, besides, CDs are still 16-bit 44.1kHz.

?? :-? ??

More dots? Huh?

Now, if we were talking sampling rates - maybe (but even still, it's not more dots, just more frequencies to plot with dots).

As for 24 bit or 32 bit, it simply means more volume resolution and headroom. When effects (specifically computer-based effects) work their voodoo on your audio, they perform mathematical computations. Considering the fact that these computations often take the numbers representing your digital music and lengthen them (multiply a number with lots of decimal places by another number with lots of decimal places) and you now see that the volume/signal has changed a tad (this is VERY oversimplified.)

Do this a few times, even at 24 or 32 bit and you'll start to hear these changes. Do it at 16 bit and you'll definitely hear these effects. Think about it, how do you remain at 16 bit when the number you are now working with doesn't fit into a 16 bit string???

Yep, you guessed it - truncate it. (Or round it off and cut it off).

BTW - the argument

CDs are still 16-bit 44.1kHz.

holds no value here.

With many of the dithering algorithms currently available, there are many CDs which have noise signals on par with 20 bit or even greater bit depths.

8-) J.

**3dchris** · 10-10-2005 08:50 AM

If your converters are 24 bit then setting nuendo/cubase to 32bit float is just a waste of space with no sonic adwantage. Please understand that this IS NOT an INTERNAL BIT RESOLUTION setting. It's a recording setting.

just my 2 cents

chris

**Cucco** · 10-10-2005 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by 3dchris

If your converters are 24 bit then setting nuendo/cubase to 32bit float is just a waste of space with no sonic adwantage. Please understand that this IS NOT an INTERNAL BIT RESOLUTION setting. It's a recording setting.

just my 2 cents

chris

Umm... Nope.

You're right that you're not recording at 32 bit from the converters, so therefore, you're recording 8 '0's at the end of the bit stream. (At least that's what I think you meant...)

But, what happens when you do anything to manipulate the sound? Ahh, that's where those 8 remaining bits come in. If you make a volume change, compression, or pretty much ANY thing else, you now perform a computation on your bit stream. The stream now becomes longer. 32 bit float allows you to take it all the way out to the point of insanity. It makes dealing with tons of effects a lot easier on the ears and the music.

J.

**Mr-Nice** · 10-10-2005 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by RemyRAD

CDs are still 16-bit 44.1kHz.

True... but like Cucco said with the right software you can get that 16bit/44.1k CD sounding like its 20bits or better.

**RemyRAD** · 10-10-2005 10:56 PM

Good performers and good recording techniques always sound like they are 32-bit! With bad performances and bad technique it all sounds like crap! So what are you beginners talking about? It's not the gear, it's the people. The equipment is truly secondary.

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