mastering in DAW bit rate mixdown

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davecg321

New member
I am carrying out simple mastering within my DAW. My question is, on mixdown should i export to 16bit or 24? i realize mastering houses request 24bit Wavs, do they then mixdown to 16?

my project setup is 44.100kHz sample rate and 16 bit Format

:)
 
davecg321 said:
I am carrying out simple mastering within my DAW. My question is, on mixdown should i export to 16bit or 24? i realize mastering houses request 24bit Wavs, do they then mixdown to 16?

my project setup is 44.100kHz sample rate and 16 bit Format

:)
Click to expand...

If your recordings are 16 bit, then stay at 16. If you've recorded at 24 bit and want to burn CDs, you'll need to convert down to 16 bit at some point during your mastering process. If you're just making MP3s or uploading wavs to Soundcloud, or somesuch, you can stay at 24 bit.
 
I'm going to go sideways on this one -- You're tracking in 16-bit (personally, I'd be in 24-bit from the start, but that's water under the bridge at this point). Your throwing calculations is likely at least 32-bit floating integer.

Export in 24-bit. Go to 16-bit after (and only after) any post-processing is complete. It should be the absolute last step.
 
what would you say then is the most ideal setting for the project setup

24 bit - 44.100kHz ??

my computer has a mediumish spec...... just read this too, interesting stuff

http://www.head-fi.org/t/415361/24bit-vs-16bit-the-myth-exploded

i am planning to export this as 24 bit for mastering... am i correct in saying that i would then need to dither to 16 bit. if so would i also need to change the project setup to 16 bit as well? i will be using cubases' UV22hr

cheers
 
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davecg321 said:
what would you say then is the most ideal setting for the project setup

24 bit - 44.100kHz ??

my computer has a mediumish spec...... just read this too, interesting stuff

24bit vs 16bit, the myth exploded!

i am planning to export this as 24 bit for mastering... am i correct in saying that i would then need to dither to 16 bit. if so would i also need to change the project setup to 16 bit as well? i will be using cubases' UV22hr

cheers
Click to expand...

If you've recorded everything at 16 bit (as would be expected if your project settings are 44.1KHz, 16 bit), there's no point exporting at 24 bit. If you plan to record more stuff at 24 bit, then export that at 24 bit for mastering. Rendering to 16 bit should be the very last step before burning to CD.
 
i plan to export it for mastering though and the usual bit rate requested is 24. or is it ok to master a 16 bit? applying no dithering obviously because it is already 16............??

many thanks :)
 
davecg321 said:
i plan to export it for mastering though and the usual bit rate requested is 24. or is it ok to master a 16 bit? applying no dithering obviously because it is already 16............??

many thanks :)
Click to expand...

It's ok to master at 16 bit. If you export at 24 bit, you'll just increase the file size(s) with no increase in sound quality and perhaps a loss in quality overall when it's re-rendered to 16 bit (depends how it's done, I guess?). In future, you can record at 24 bit and export at 24 bit, if you so desire.
 
You should definitely record your next project in a 24 bit 44.1 kHz setup. I don't want to go into it now but it will make your recordings sound a lot better.
As for your question on hand, you should just bounce down to 16 bit because you would gain nothing from bouncing to 24 bit since you recorded in 16 bit. If you're planning on sending your mixes off to a mastering studio and they insist that they have 24 bit files then bounce down to 24 bit, otherwise just leave it at 16 for now until you start recording in 24 bit.
 
davecg321 said:
My question is, on mixdown should i export to 16bit or 24?
Click to expand...

I suggest you export a song in both formats, then have someone else play them back and forth at random while you listen and try to guess which is which. If you can't reliably hear a difference, then there's your answer. And if you really can hear a difference, let me know and I'll mail you a check for $100. :D

--Ethan
 
Hahaha that made me chuckle.

I was actually reading some of your other posts on dithering earlier Ethan. I think i will now record at 24 bit in the future just because from what i have read it can offer more headroom. I am reassured though that 16 bit probably doesn't sound any different ;)
 
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