24 or 32 bit float

[Gonk]

Originally Posted by WernerF

You can only restore a 32 bit file to an undistorted waveform with clip gain. It is not possible to do this with a 24 bit file. Clip gain can make the 24 bit file lower in level but the waveform will still be clipped if it was clipped in the first place.

Thank you, exactly.

[roberts]

use 32 bit and go back to work - stop worrying about if the winds is blowing from the west or northwest.

[janmuths]

You can only restore a 32 bit file to an undistorted waveform with clip gain. It is not possible to do this with a 24 bit file. Clip gain can make the 24 bit file lower in level but the waveform will still be clipped if it was clipped in the first place.

Well, doesn't that depend on where the clipping occurs? In the converter or when processing in Pro Tools (post converter)?

[janmuths]

Try it.

Just did. Created a 32-bit float session, plugged in a mic, gained up. Converter clipping cannot be undone by bringing dow clip gain.

Would have put my whole perception of reality in a question if it did.

J.

[daeron80]

Originally Posted by janmuths

Just did. Created a 32-bit float session, plugged in a mic, gained up. Converter clipping cannot be undone by bringing dow clip gain.

Sorry, I thought you were talking about converter clipping.

[Gonk]

My bad... silly mistake, only recently changed to 10 and the waveform was "expanded" too much, set it back to default and noticed it never did run over.
I thought it was odd at the time and should have known better (I know that 24 bit isn't even 24, it's 21 bit really) so how could I get a distorted waveform without clipping the input pre/converter in 32 bit, Drunk Avid's Kool-aid there.

If there are mixing benefits then I'm all for 32 bit, Will be interesting to get 2 of the same session one 24 and one 32 bit and see the benefits of processing and how far beyond 24 bit 32 can go, am interested to see/hear that test.

[notable]

My students, who don't know good gain staging yet, benifit from 32bit float. Last year one student forgot to turn up a Pre-amp on a tom mic. Looked like a flat line till clip based gain to max and gain plug added in another 20 something dB and voila. 40-50dB of mic Pre gain created in Pro Tools. This yielded a Tom track with out background noise. Is this great engineering? NO. Is this useful? Absolutely. So all the engineers who are saying you don't need 32bit float with proper gain structure if you aren't doing a fair amount of clip gain or radical gain structure may be right for talented and experienced recording engineers.... but if you are a newbie, this can be a another helpful tool.