I need some dither advice

[Tito Ricci Arballo]

What do you use? I only have the digirack plugs so it's a choice between dither and powr-dither. What do you prefer? Also which noise shaping is the best? Opinions?

thanks

Tito

[Tito Ricci Arballo]

bounce

[Chris Coleman]

POW-r dither's just about as good as it gets.

[mcconnellsteve]

i remember reading that ptle requires you to dither if bouncing to 24bit (even from 24 bit) due to some algorithm or another -- and powr dither doesn't have a 24 bit option. am i right on the first part of that? if so -- what do folks recommend? if i wanted to provide a 48k 24bit cd to a mastering house, what would be the issue if not dithered when bounced?

thx,
steve

[valvebrother]

i remember reading that ptle requires you to dither if bouncing to 24bit (even from 24 bit) due to some algorithm or another -- and powr dither doesn't have a 24 bit option. am i right on the first part of that? if so -- what do folks recommend? if i wanted to provide a 48k 24bit cd to a mastering house, what would be the issue if not dithered when bounced?

thx,
steve

Steve,

Basically, don't worry about it. In some/most DAWs, the internal resolution of the software's busses, signal path, etc. are greater than 24 bit and need to somehow be reduced from that internal resoultion (32 bit, 48 bit, etc) down to the 24 bit of the output file.

The possible truncation that might occur by presenting a 32/48 bit internal mix buss signal to a 24 bit output word/file is at such an amazingly LOW level that you will NEVER, ever have to worry about it and certainly cannot hear it.

To answer the original question: use POW-R. It's lightyears beyond the normal digi dither.

Damon