Special Dithering / Bit-Resolution Question

[Rich Breen]

Originally Posted by putney

Yep, bradch00 nailed it! Pro tools 10 does allow multiple bit rates to exist in a 24 bit session. But the sample rate can't be changed. The session must be at 44.1 for the 'bonce to track' file read as 16/44.1

OK, just checked this; it does in fact work as advertised. The mix engine always dithers to 24bit regardless of the record bit depth, so one could exploit this by changing the session bit depth to 16bit, inserting whatever 16bit dither plug you'd like and printing to track, thus generating a 16bit file. Kind of convoluted, but it would work.

best,
rich

[jasonthurley]

I simply playback my 24/48 session into another Pro Tools system recording at 16/44.1

No dithering, no truncation, no noise shaping.....

Of course you have to have two rigs, but like using the old 2 inch

[SoundVillageStudio]

Hello to everyone! i'm using Ozone5 advanced to make some mastering for my personal productions, from 24 to 16bit, but i don't understand this:
"With Ozone (dithering inside selected) in the Master, (and NO-Plug ins inserted in the PT>Preferences>Processing>Audiosuite>use audiosuite dither: NO-Plug in
PT will still apply dithering? The doubt comes out 'cause in the BTD window the menu which show the choices of dither processing became "active" when i select the depth and the sample rate (from 24/48 to 16/44.1)
so my answer is "Maybe will dither twice my file ?"
Thanks for attention, hope for faster answer. Thanks

[Chief Technician]

From page 1118 of the v12.6.1 Reference Guide.

Note that Bounce to Disk does not apply dither when con- verting during or after a bounce to a lower resolution. If you need to bounce to a lower resolution file, use a dither plug-in on a Master Fader track assigned to the bounce source path. This dithers the bounced file, before the Bounce to Disk conversion truncates the bounced file to the selected bit depth resolution.

From page 1110 of the v12.6.1 Reference Guide.

Bouncing to disk does not apply dither when reducing bit depth. To apply dither when bouncing to disk, you should insert a dither plug-in as the last processor in the signal path on a Master Fader assigned to the bounce source audio output path.
Using a dither plug-in on a Master Fader is preferable to an Auxiliary Input because Master Fader inserts are post-fader. As a post-fader insert, the dither plug-in can process changes in Master Fader level.
If you do not use a dither plug-in on your bounce source path, and you choose to convert to a lower resolution during or after bouncing to disk, the resulting file will be converted by truncation.

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by SoundVillageStudio

"Maybe will dither twice my file ?"

Welcome to the community.

PT won't dither without you knowing. That's why you need to insert dithering plugin -- either stock one or some 3rd party plugin. If you already have one, don't use the stock one to dither twice. And be sure that the plugin that dithers is the last one in the master fader.

[Rich Breen]

Originally Posted by SoundVillageStudio

... The doubt comes out 'cause in the BTD window the menu which show the choices of dither processing became "active" when i select the depth and the sample rate (from 24/48 to 16/44.1)
so my answer is "Maybe will dither twice my file ?"
Thanks for attention, hope for faster answer. Thanks

Where do you see a dither option in the BTD window? Perhaps you're confusing dither with bit-depth? They are two separate things.

from the PT reference guide: "Bounce to Disk does not apply dither when converting during or after a bounce to a lower resolution...."

Note dither *will* be applied on a clip *export* to a lower resolution.

[SoundVillageStudio]

Thanks to Chief Technician, JFreak and Rich Breen!
You definitively solve my misunderstanding...and my ignorance..
Fortunately i have always collaborate with Pro for Mastering, sending they 24/96 or 24/48 without reduction to 16!
i have think (not read in the reference guide!) that PT applies dither in BTD when you set up a bit reduction, not only in export..thanks thanks and thanks!!
Know a "bit" more (without dithering), about it, make me happy