What are real differences processing a sample or track in 32-bit 24-bit 16-bit wav?
What speaker you need to listen the differences? (if you can listen to)

My question starts from a simple problem: Logic X doesn't read 32 bit files and i've got lot of sample in 32-bit. Can I convert them to 24-bit without losing ANY quality?

Good converter 32 to 24 bit wav?

 

WOW, what a fantastic reply THAT was, Fudsey. hat off to you!!

 

So, by all means, can you hear the difference between 24 and 16 bit?

 

i think its audible. because its the actual steps in the sampling of the soundwaves. more steps should lead to a more... natural image of the material. i think it also has something to do with deeper maths and physics to explain this.

but i dont think its audible for you or me on a laptop with 200 dollar speakers/cheap output converters/ cheap cables / untreated room / untrained ears. hehe just go on and convert it, no one cares.

and shame on logic for the 32 bit thing...

I use db Poweramp! solid as hell batch converter and everything you need in converting regards.

 

Isn't the flow of electrons temperature dependent?

 

yes, so you will want to avoid recording at temperatures near absolute zero.

 

There are some Adc with higher range, like -154 dB or so, don't remember, but I saw this on gearslutz, it is 32 bit ADC. And I wondered.
About 32 bit float, Lukin or Chrisj from Airwindows or Bob Ohlsson or someone told that quality is a bit better than 24 bit, a couple of db or less. And I downloaded sine files in 24 bit, 32 bit fixed and 32 bit float, sonograms showed that digital noise in 32 bit float is a bit quieter than 24 bit, maybe it is so because of 24 bit file truncated or so. This noise in 32 bit fixed is much quieter because of 192 dB range. You can find them on src.infinitewave.ca
Floating point is for to preserve audio from clipping, because of another dynamic range (1640dB?). So if not to clip, 32 bit float has less truncation than 24 bit.
If you import 24 bit file, you must use 24 bit dithering because of 32 or 64 bit floating-point mixing,mastering,processing. Why dither? Because truncation is worse than dithering. Same with 16 bit.
I work at possible maximum, 64 bit float, but all depends not on these bits, plugins have their own algorithms, bit depth etc.

 

Last edited: Jan 4, 2017

Sounds COOL

 

That depends on the material and on the level management.
16bit can go very far, but for music with very high dynamic range (i.e. both loud and very soft parts), the reduced resolution of 16bit can become audible at lower levels, at least if not dithered well.
With 24bit you simply have more reserves - more headroom without clipping and/or more resolution at lower levels.
For recording, I would always recommend 24bit, but e.g. for normalized samples, 16bit can often be enough without negative side effects.
Also, using 24bit, the recording gain level setting is not as critical as with 16bit resolution. You just leave more headroom without soft signals drowning in quantization noise.

 

Great Post with great answers here...

Being Aware of this can save your music for the better
Be Aware

And thanx all you have input righteously here... nothing to add on my part coz all tips were on the bull's eye !!!

Stick to this predicament

That being said... 32 bit float will make you aware and learn the real true notion of headroom
Wich is a good thing... some can surf the big wave some can't...

PeaceR

 

Xrecode is my fave converter. Just convert 32 to 24 (after making a backup?).

Simple answer: you won't lose much at all - nothing you will hear. Make some 16 bit conversions too and compare them? Stick with 24 if you can. Or 32. No big deal? Unless you are meticulous like folks above, you won't notice anything at all and it won't make any difference going from 32 to 24.

 

Those steps you mentioned are not in fact there and you can't hear them as DAC reconstructs the waveform by interpolation and oversampling.

32bit float makes sense during production. For playback, 16bit is more than enough to cover 99.999% of musical listening scenarios. Rigorous testing shows that out of 400 people, no-one could hear the difference without cranking up the volume during quiet parts and thus exposing the noise floor of 16bit.

There are limited benefits from having 24bit "hires" recording, as you can simply dither it to 16bit any way you like (with or without noise shaping). But other than this geeky reason, nothing else really.

As for sample libraries, 24bit could be beneficial as it gives more headroom to boost quiet parts, but in most cases it's wasted as the samples aren't normalized prior to bit reduction. Usually there's just less than 20bit worth of audio data.

 

Yes man I don't find if i can or not notice differeces...but i'm going to send some tracks to a mixing and mastering studio...I would like to avoid the risk of making my records with bad-converted samples!