96K vs. 48K vs. 44.1K

[Sven62]

What is the point of recording in higher sample rates if it all gets reduced to 44.1K in the end? Why not just save that step? How is it possible that it sounds better after starting in 48 and being dithered to 44.1 vs. simply recording it in 44.1 to begin with?

EDIT: So, I just searched (DOH!) and found that there is quite a controversy over this issue. Apparently, it is very hard to tell the difference between a track recorded at 44.1 and one recorded at 48 or even 96 and then rendered to 44.1. I understand that there IS a difference in whether you record in 16 vs. 24 bit even though it all ends up in 16.

[O.G. Killa]

Why film a movie on film or in HD if it's just going to get converted to 480i when broadcast on your TV?

[O.G. Killa]

The answer, if you are stumped, is because the film editors, visual effects artists and color correction can make the hi res version look much better than if the film was shot at 480i. So, after they greatly enhance the hi-res version, when they convert to a lower resolution you get a much better picture than if you filmed at 480i, and then tried to add effects and color correction to that low res image.

[O.G. Killa]

same holds true with audio...

A FILE at 44.1 KHz and 96KHz may sound the same, but a plugin like Autotune or Melodyne does NOT! So, the fidelity of your audio AFTER you run it through various plugins and the mixer engine will have a much higher fidelity when using a higher sampling rate than if you recorded at 44.1KHz. This makes the final sample-rate-converted and dithered version sound much better than if you had recorded and mixed at 44.1KHz.

[O.G. Killa]

Also, not all converters are the same... a $10,000 stereo Prism D/A or A/D will sound identical at 44.1KHz and 96KHz. But I've noticed cheaper converters usually sound a little better at higher sampling rates. We've debated why this might be without ever really coming to a concrete conclusion. My guess has to do with the electronics and the design of the Nyquist filter.

I've posted this link a couple times, but it shows the effects a poorly designed digital filter can have on your audio...

http://src.infinitewave.ca/

While the link only compares software conversion. The same process takes place in your converters when converting from analog into digital. The graph should look like a single line that sweeps up from bottom left to top right. Anything else, all those lighter lines are throughout the spectrum are aliasing from poor filter design and creates harmonic distortion. If you move the sampling rate higher, that aliasing happens, but it happens much higher, outside the range of our hearing...

[lwilliam]

That's a fascinating set of graphs (never saw them before). Wow, Sadie was very bad as was Waveburner. I'm surprised at Sadie, but not Waveburner.

[JFreak]

*bonk* :d