Mastering for cd or streaming?

[rdpar]

If I have my project ( @ 24bit 44.1) mastered for CD @ 16bit 44.1 can I convert it back to 24bit bit 44.1 in pro tools for streaming , with good enough results to submit it to streaming services?

[Will Russell]

My apologies if you know this already, but if you convert a 16bit file to 24-bit it doesn't become better quality. I'm sure there are plenty of 16/44.1 files that are submitted for streaming and they sound fine.

If it's not too late why not have it mastered at the same file format as your recording. Then you can convert it to whatever file format you need.

In theory a higher resolution the source the better the results of Lossy conversion to mp3/aac

[rdpar]

Originally Posted by Will Russell

My apologies if you know this already, but if you convert a 16bit file to 24-bit it doesn't become better quality. I'm sure there are plenty of 16/44.1 files that are submitted for streaming and they sound fine.

If it's not too late why not have it mastered at the same file format as your recording. Then you can convert it to whatever file format you need.

In theory is a higher resolution the source the better the results of Lossy conversion to mp3/aac

Thanks. Do you think Pro Tools is a good way to convert my 24 bit tracks to 16bit?

[Will Russell]

Originally Posted by rdpar

Thanks. Do you think Pro Tools is a good way to convert my 24 bit tracks to 16bit?

Yup!

Be sure to dither when/if you do!

[JFreak]

If mastering for streaming is the thing, this is a killer.

[Ben Jenssen]

Originally Posted by rdpar

Thanks. Do you think Pro Tools is a good way to convert my 24 bit tracks to 16bit?

A 16bit wav file imported into a PT session with the same sample rate, will become a 24bit file with 8 zeroes added to each sample to make them 24bit 'word's, and sound exactly the same. Until you process it in some way, adjust level etc, when it will use the last 8 bits.

(Edit: Sorry, the quote and my reply doesn't really make sense. My bad. My point stands, though, so I'll just let it be.)

[rdpar]

Originally Posted by Ben Jenssen

A 16bit wav file imported into a PT session with the same sample rate, will become a 24bit file with 8 zeroes added to each sample to make them 24bit 'word's, and sound exactly the same. Until you process it in some way, adjust level etc, when it will use the last 8 bits.

(Edit: Sorry, the quote and my reply doesn't really make sense. My bad. My point stands, though, so I'll just let it be.)

We’ll now that’s confusing 😳😵*💫

[Ben Jenssen]

Originally Posted by rdpar

We’ll now that’s confusing 😳😵*💫

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to confuse.
I tried to say that making a 16bit file 24 bit doesn't make a difference, because every sample is the same value, except it has 24 digits instead of 16. Hence the 8 zeroes at the end.

[rdpar]

Originally Posted by Ben Jenssen

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to confuse.
I tried to say that making a 16bit file 24 bit doesn't make a difference, because every sample is the same value, except it has 24 digits instead of 16. Hence the 8 zeroes at the end.

Ok thanks �� so if I have my tracks mastered for CD, 16bit 44.1 , I can convert them back to 24bit 44.1 in pro tools to submit them to streaming devices with no weird sound loss?

[JFreak]

Yes if you import (not convert) 16bit stuff to 24bit session, all you get is bigger filesize -- quality remains the same.