What is the point I updating an HD system?

[WernerF]

Ok, but Avid does not.

[Drew Mazurek]

Originally Posted by Mista Min

There are 32 bit converters on the market, Lindell Audio makes one.

Nope. That's a DAC.

It does allow you to stay 32 bit clean all the way up til it comes out of the speakers though.

[Snap]

I'm confused, I thought the 32-bit (float) in Pro Tools mainly provided higher virtual plug-in and automation density and resolution?

Hence why the Avid I/O's are only 24-bit...
Can anyone explain more in depth?

[groundcontrol]

Originally Posted by Mista Min

There are 32 bit converters on the market, Lindell Audio makes one.

Cool. You can perfectly capture the noise of the components in your signal chain.

In order to be squashed to maybe 14 bits of usable dynamic range at mastering...

[Drew Mazurek]

Originally Posted by Snap

I'm confused, I thought the 32-bit (float) in Pro Tools mainly provided higher virtual plug-in and automation density and resolution?

Hence why the Avid I/O's are only 24-bit...
Can anyone explain more in depth?

Bit Depth is referenced in a few areas:
1. audio file (recording) bit depth-responsible for the resolution of the audio. dictated by the converters/interfaces. There are no TRUE 32 bit converters AFAIK.
2. The OS and applications themselves. No audio quality implications. Amount of memory addressed affected etc.
3. The math used to sum and process in the mixer on the audio files you create. PT is now all 32bit floating point math (with 64bit accumulator-whatever the heck that means) whether it's on the HDX or Native card or being done by the CPU.

Hope this makes senses, helps, and please correct me if I have something wrong, this is my understanding of things.

[groundcontrol]

Originally Posted by dmazurek

Nope. That's a DAC.

It does allow you to stay 32 bit clean all the way up til it comes out of the speakers though.

Ok. Makes more sense...

No not really if all you're monitoring is the forementioned brickwall-limited low dynamic range/hi thd finals that are often at the back end of the music production chain. Especially for digital distribution...

Maybe on dubbing stages.

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by groundcontrol

Cool. You can perfectly capture the noise of the components in your signal chain.

In order to be squashed to maybe 14 bits of usable dynamic range at mastering...

Are you recording Fighter Jets flying by or what? Theoretically speaking 14 bits could represent about 84 dB dynamics and most "contemporary" music is mixed to less than 14 dB RMS.

[groundcontrol]

I was obviously in an overly joyfull and generous state of mind...
:)

[TornadoTed]

I have asked myself the same question several times and I just can't see any value in upgrading.

I currently have a HD4 system in a Magma chassis, 2x Lynx Aurora 16's and a 192 digital. To upgrade to HDX and 48 I/o of the new converters would cost £10k+

I am struggling to see how the benefits could ever stack up to anywhere close to £10k+.

I currently use the Aurora's for 32 I/o with Logic with a pair of Lynx AES cards, I wouldn't want to lose that. I also as others pointed out there are a bunch of plugins I use all the time that haven't been updated to AAX yet.

I am begrudgingly going to upgrade to 10HD so I can open ptx files as I am already seeing a few clients with PT10. I know you can save in the older format but that may not last with every new revision. I am going to clone my drive once I have a working system and stay here for as many years as I can.

[groundcontrol]

I have upgraded both systems to 10. But am in same boat regarding HDX.