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  #1  
Old 08-03-2007, 09:18 AM
mahler007 mahler007 is offline
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Default question about the dither plug

Hi,
When I use a dither plugin from 24 to 16 bit on the master fader during a mix session, is the signal that I'm hearing through my monitors post dither? In other words, if I insert a dither plug, am I hearing a 16 bit resolution mix instead of a 24 bit mix?

This is while mixing, of course- not after BTD...

Thanks for any guidance!

Cheers,
Andrew
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  #2  
Old 08-03-2007, 06:17 PM
mahler007 mahler007 is offline
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Default Re: question about the dither plug

bump?
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Old 08-04-2007, 04:39 AM
bortraws bortraws is offline
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Default Re: question about the dither plug

You will still listen to the 24-bit recording albeit with a dither plugin on top. Dithering adds a noise to the output to make sure that quantization errors and low level amplitudes don't end up as square waves. The conversion to 16-bit is done during or after the bounce depending on the setting in the Bounce To Disk window.

Very simply put. Using dithering is a concession between a converted final mix with quantization noise (no dithering) or a mix with a little bit of white noise (with dithering).

Quantization noise is a bit technical but it basically is a noise made up of square waves due to quantization errors. This is not pleasant to listen to because square waves are made up from uneven harmonics. Dithering adds a noise (hence the Noise Shapes in the Power Dither plugin) which will allow the conversion to happen without quantization noise. Instead, your converted mix will have a very low level of white noise rather than the more apparant Quantization Noise.

The Noise shapes 1 to 3 range in use from Mono to Wide Stereo program material respectively.

Only use dithering if your Bounce is the very final stage of processing. NEVER use Dithering when you plan to process the mix any further. When you or an external Mastering Studio plan to do more processing to the mix, always bounce to a 24-bit file. Take into account that Dithering only applies to the bit depth and has nothing to do with the Sample Rate.

Good luck
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Old 08-05-2007, 09:41 PM
Inaam Inaam is offline
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Default Re: question about the dither plug

If you use Waves IDR, it requantizes, adds the dither, and drops the last 8 bits out. In that case you're only hearing 16 bits. I know this from when I had spectrafoo's bitscope. You could see visually that the last bits were empty.
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Old 08-06-2007, 06:38 AM
mahler007 mahler007 is offline
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Default Re: question about the dither plug

thanks guys- you've been helpful...

Cheers,
Andrew
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