Sample rates

[S.C.U.D]

Hi, I'm fairly new to computer recording. Using nuendo 1.0, maudio 2496 and tascam 788. I was looking at the maudio delta control panels sample rates. I think it's set to something like 44.1 it goes up to something like 196. should i have this set at the highest setting? will it make a difference to recording quality etc? and do I need to adjust neundo to accept the changes if i do change it?

Regards
SCUD

[xstatic]

Recording at a higher sample rate typically will make a difference. However, how much of a difference it makes is first, subjective, and secondly depends on many other factors including the rest of your recording chain. You personally may or may not notice much of a difference. Recording at higher sampling rates will however take up more hard drive space and tax your CPU harder. If you do change sample rates, it is important that ALL of your digital gear be setup at the same rate. I am not all too familiar with the Maudio 2496 so I don't know how it integrates with Nuendo. You may have to manually change the rate in Nuendo depending on how its all set up. On a side note, since your Maudio card is called the 24....96, I would bet that the highest rate your card is capable of utilizing is 24 bit 96khz, as opposed to 192khz. (6 khz should be plenty of resolution. I do my projects at 24bit 44.1khz. Partly do to the fact that most of my mixes involve between 24 and 48 analog tracks. My tower is very beefy, but I am not sure it would handle all that at 96khz.

[Bass Master "K"]

xstatic has given you some really good advice. All I can add is something I read in tapeop, I believe, when an engineer was being interviewed about this same subject.

He said that for rock and electronic(a) projects, the difference between 44.1 and 88.2, or 96 is barely noticable.

He said recording and orchestra, or acoustic orchestral instruments, the difference is definately noticable. Higher end comes through with more definition and is more lifelike.

Can't attest to any of this personally, I use 44.1 because I do more rock oriented stuff, but thought I would pass it on.

[S.C.U.D]

Thanks for that guys. I'm doing mainly rock and a bit of electronic. I tried the highest sample rate last night and did not hear any noticable difference, but as you say it did seem to tax my PC more. I think I'll stick with it where it was and just experienment with spdif and analogue outputs.

Thanks again for your advice.

SCUD