Dithering

[Rokket]

If you are tracking in 16-bit, then rendering to CD, is it necessary to add dithering to your tracks (if I am mixing ITB, all digital)?

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't dithering just adding noise to your tracks when you are rendering down to a smaller bit rate to cancel out noticeable distortion?

This concept has my head all fuckbuggered, so if someone can simplify it for me, please do!

[SonicAlbert]

Dithering is used to get from higher bit rates like 20 or 24 down to 16 bit. If you are already at 16 bit, no dithering is required.

[Robert D]

Originally Posted by SonicAlbert

Dithering is used to get from higher bit rates like 20 or 24 down to 16 bit. If you are already at 16 bit, no dithering is required.

Bit depths. (probably a Monday thing)

Yes, no dithering required.

[masteringhouse]

If you are processing the tracks with plugins the DAW is probably coverting the bit depth from the original 16 to a higher bit depth and back down.

You would likely get better results mixing at 24 bit then dithering down to 16 for the final mix.

( "fuckbuggered", nice word. I'll have to use that in conversation today)

[SonicAlbert]

Bit depth, yes. Thanks!

[MessianicDreams]

how noticeable is dithering? i mean, if i were to post 2 identical clips, one dithered and one non-dithered, could you really hear the difference?


or do you have to have million dollar ears?



and whats with the different "noise shapes" i believe they're called?

[bennychico11]

Originally Posted by masteringhouse

If you are processing the tracks with plugins the DAW is probably coverting the bit depth from the original 16 to a higher bit depth and back down.

yes.
Digidesign, for one, recommends dithering anyway because of this. Their I/O paths are 24 bit while the the mix bus and processing can be 32-float/48 bit.

[masteringhouse]

Originally Posted by MessianicDreams

how noticeable is dithering? i mean, if i were to post 2 identical clips, one dithered and one non-dithered, could you really hear the difference?

or do you have to have million dollar ears?

and whats with the different "noise shapes" i believe they're called?

My ears are only about 1/4 mill, but I can hear a difference

The issue is cummulative. Can the average person hear the difference between a single pass of dither? Most would probably not.

After successive stage of processing through plugs can the average person hear the difference? Chances become greater.

See the following for a good description on the purpose of noise shaping:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noise_shaping

[Robert D]

Of course it also depends on what they're listening with, but I guess we strive to mix for the audiophile, and don't dwell on the fact that 50% of our effort is wasted on 90% of listeners.

[Rokket]

Hey thanks for the quick responses everyone! I am always happy to post what I would consider newbie questions in this forum because nobody will give me a bunch of crap about it.
I think my skills with mixing are getting better all the time, but every once in awhile I come across something I've either never thought of, or never heard of.
I'm glad there is some place I can go to find out about it!
Thanks again all!

[Dogman]

Originally Posted by Rokket

Hey thanks for the quick responses everyone! I am always happy to post what I would consider newbie questions in this forum because nobody will give me a bunch of crap about it.
I think my skills with mixing are getting better all the time, but every once in awhile I come across something I've either never thought of, or never heard of.
I'm glad there is some place I can go to find out about it!
Thanks again all!

Also makes for a good read for some of us, who weren't really thinking about this, until I saw it....

Thanks all....