Survey: CD 44.1/16-bit target, what do YOU record at?

grimepoch · Post by **grimepoch** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 11:35 am

General question, not about mastering or dithering or whatever else, just simply when you are recording your material in, knowing it will go to a CD (or that sample/bit rate), what do you start with? I thought this would be a very interesting question as their have been a lot of different answers in different topics.

Me:

48kHz/24-bit

(Upper limit from least capable recording (ADAT) hardware)

newrigel · Post by **newrigel** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 1:02 pm

24/48 but it really depends on whether I want to import into a video app or whatever....
Most the people I know go 88.2 then half it for CD manufacturing etc. I find I have a little more headroom for my plugs @ 24 but it all depends what your doing. There isn't really a facto standard to record @ just as long as the project doesn't suffer in fidelity.

chrispick · Post by **chrispick** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 1:40 pm

I usually work at 24/48.

My work's for tv stuff, thus the 48k (it's the standard). And I like the extra bits and definition I get from 24-bit over 16-bit, thus the 24 (I downconvert and dither to 16 when I ship to clients).

I do have one broadcast client that prefers 16/44.1, so I work 24/44.1 then down-rez and dither to 16 for them.

If I were recording an album, I'd likely explore higher rates, especially if I were recording a lot of subtle instruments. But, for my line of work, 24/48 seems to be fitting.

billf · Post by **billf** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 2:50 pm

Usually 48/24. I rarely use 44.1 to record anymore.

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 3:25 pm

Always 24/44.1 for album work. No sense puttting the audio through some lossy conversion when I'm only gaining about a semitone of higher fidelity in the inaudible range

(between 44.1 and 48 ) Above that, the losses outweigh the benefits.

Get a good converter. Record at 44.1.

panda · Post by **panda** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 5:22 pm

agreed..

24/44.1

24/88.2 if i want to capture something archivaly.. [that was analog]

Splinter wrote:Always 24/44.1 for album work. No sense puttting the audio through some lossy conversion when I'm only gaining about a semitone of higher fidelity in the inaudible range (between 44.1 and 48 ) Above that, the losses outweigh the benefits.

Get a good converter. Record at 44.1.

pcm · Post by **pcm** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 10:25 pm

Splinter wrote:Always 24/44.1 for album work. No sense puttting the audio through some lossy conversion when I'm only gaining about a semitone of higher fidelity in the inaudible range (between 44.1 and 48 ) Above that, the losses outweigh the benefits.

Get a good converter. Record at 44.1.

Same thought here. Really good convertors and engineering skill will make a far bigger difference.

Mr_Clifford · Post by **Mr_Clifford** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 2:11 am

Yep. 24bit 44.1k There's no benefit in recording in 48k and then SRCing down to 44k. Best to stay in what you're going to finish in. That said, I work in film where we work in 48k for the final product, which means that if you're lucky enough to get a soundtrack release you have to do the SRC sometime during the mastering stage to be ready for CD and with a good one it's pretty hard to pick any quality loss.

stephentayler · Post by **stephentayler** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 2:36 am

44.1/24bit for CD and 48/24bit for film/video, dithering to 16 bit when required. I too try to avoid SRC, but do so if film work needs to go to CD.

I would go to 88.2 or 96/24bit if a really dynamic or acoustic project warranted it.

Stephen

matwell · Post by **matwell** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 2:53 am

Great topic!

••• Synths/samples, demos, orchestra mock-ups: 48k, 24-bit

••• Live, acoustic instruments and vocals: 96k or 48k, 24-bit

When I work on a project that will be mass distributed on CD, I know that it will be professionally mastered. I have supervised the mastering on many projects that I've worked on, and the mastering houses (i.e. Bernie Grundman's, etc.) have incredible sample rate converters. So my philosophy is to capture the recording as best as possible (at least for the "vault" and future hi-res releases. If it needs to be "dumbed down" for CD, then so be it. At least I've got the original master in all of it's high resolution glory. Also, there are a few programs out there that let you burn your own 96k, 24-bit DVD-Audio discs now.

stephentayler · Post by **stephentayler** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 3:06 am

Also, when I have projects mastered at a top facility, chances are they will go DA (through the finest converters) pass through a wonderful analog chain, and then AD ( again through the finest converters ) to 44.1/16. So the original format is not crucial.....

Stephen

Newsles · Post by **Newsles** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 5:47 am

48/16 for me through my old (but excellent) Korg 1212.

I ahve to say though that with a slower Mac (G4 upgrade in an old G3), the sample-rate conversion process is a bit of a pain for anything of significant length.

The korg can record at 44.1/16, and my AD/DA coverter can clock at that rate too, so for the sake of sanity more than audio quality, I was thinking of re-configuring. It was just that I wanted to use the fully available rate - but really, I dont think there's too much of a quality issue between the two - the actual margins are pretty slim really.