Summing - In theBox or out? Any strong feelings one way or the other ?
And I'm wondering if summing at higher(than 48kz) might be benificial as it might allow for fewer rounding issues when converting back to 44.1kz as only the final sample would be affected, not each individual(pre-summed) sample .
This is making my head hurt...
Topic Tags
Comments
While it's hard to argue with a mathematics professor. I can be
While it's hard to argue with a mathematics professor. I can because I have very little mathematical skills. So, since I can't balance my checkbook, for the most part, I'm with Bob.
I'm a lucky cheap fool. You know, it helps if you have millions of dollars. I don't. Never have. Never will. Don't care. Especially since I can't add that high. I do however have at least one working 36 input, 1974 vintage, all discrete transistor Rupert Neve console. I like tracking & mixing on the old beast. Better? It's all in what you perceive to be better. I mix in the box also. There's just things you can do in the box you can't do on the analog beast.
While my information is not based upon science nor facts. It is based upon my perceptions and my perceptions tell me (which have rarely been wrong) that Digital summation ain't the same sounding. What my ears tell me is that, since this is a mathematical process, numbers need to be added and sequenced. That means that things are timed out in the output process but not all at once. While analog summation can be. Since it is a passive organic process. If I track through the API's or the Neve I'm less adverse to mixing in the box. If I didn't track it, I'll frequently mix through the Neve or, pass the audio through it, just to add that "secret sauce" on the way to mixing in the box.
I consider my engineering to be much more organic than most and so, I still dig analog or analog. I don't care. I'll take either one. I like both kinds. Again the British Win since two more letters are better than none. That's simple math isn't it?
Simple engineer
Ms. Remy Ann David
This is a zero first-hand information opinion, so take it for wh
This is a zero first-hand information opinion, so take it for what it is worth. But I think this is a debate between people with millions of dollars worth of equipment. The question of whether it sounds better to send a signal through top of the line converters to a vintage Neve board and back through even better converters to your computer sounds better than mixing digitally has no bearing on the question of what sounds better on most of the systems described by frequent posters of this board. And it's not even close to a question for the type of equipment I have. Doing it in my case would be like someone who buys a $95 condenser mic because they use a U87 in the pro studio.