importing 16bit into 24bit session

[cliepe12]

I recorded drums on a DA88 (16bit) and brought them into a 24bit PT session via lightpipe. then obviously, during mixdown, I bounce a 16 bit file with Waves dithering. What is this process doing to my 16bit drum tracks. Should I be staying in 16 bit for the Pro Tools session if the tracks coming from my DA88s are only 16 bit??

[where02190]

It's nto doing anything harmful to your drum tracks, and recording the remaining tracks 24 bit will increase the overall fidelity vs 16 bit. what you are doing is just fine.

[mindnoise]

mixing in PT should ALWAYS be in 24bit. 16 bit has become only suitable (like dithering) for the last final step before pressing/buring the CD.

do yourself a favour,

regs

[cliepe12]

Good to know. Can anybody tell me exactly what its doing to the 16bit signal that is converted to 24 and then back down to 16?? How is the dynamic range effected, if at all.

[Super Seven]

cliepe12, I am no pro...but I am going the same route you are. 16bit samples into PT @ 24bit...then back to 16bit BTD.

Here is a sample of the final result http://www.thereal7.com/sample.html so far every system I have listened to this song on, the drums sounds great.

~Scott

[valvebrother]

Good to know. Can anybody tell me exactly what its doing to the 16bit signal that is converted to 24 and then back down to 16?? How is the dynamic range effected, if at all.

Basically, it's shifting the 16 bits up into the high bits of the 24 bit word (16 goes to 24 and 15 goes to 23, etc) and padding the bottom 8 bits with zeros. So, no harm.

Otherwise, if you padded on the other side of the 24 bit word (just left 16 at 16 and padded zeros on top for 17-24) your signal would drop by ~36 dB.

D

D

[where02190]

Basically, it's shifting the 16 bits up into the high bits of the 24 bit word (16 goes to 24 and 15 goes to 23, etc) and padding the bottom 8 bits with zeros. So, no harm.

Otherwise, if you padded on the other side of the 24 bit word (just left 16 at 16 and padded zeros on top for 17-24) your signal would drop by ~36 dB.

D

D

Huh? Bit depth conversion will do absolutly NOTHING to the relative level of the signal. Going from 16 to 24 bit will not at all affect the quality fo the audio, and proper dithering from 24 to 16 will yield no affects either. However in either case the level of the signal will remain completely unchanged.

[Shawn Simpson]

You should go back and read that again. That was his point exactly. The relative level of a 16bit signal converted to 24bit will be the same. The last 8 bits of padding are in the low end of the dynamic range. If the 8 bits of padding WERE in the first 8, it would most certainly effect the overall level. But since that's not how it works for obvious reasons, 8 bits can be added or subtracted with relative ease without huge sonic problems.