Bit rate confusion - please help

[macuser]

Hello:

I have seen related posts in this forum, but I thought I would post in this area first.
My question is this:

As you can see from my nick, I'm a Mac user. The built-in Mac soundcard lets me record at 16 bits/44.100 khz (although I could go up to 48.000 if I wanted). I can open or play pretty much any format/size audio file. Is there any use in me purchasing a new sound card for _recording_?

What I sometimes do is take samples from CDs, manipulate them w/filters or cut them up and rearrange, etc. and sing/play over top of them. These samples are in 16 bit/44.100 khz format. If I got a new card that has 24 bits, are these samples useless? Would I have to re do them all at 24 bits (as upsampling probably would sound poor)? Or could I keep them and they would just "sound" better?

I know a new/"better" soundcard would be great for games, listening to stuff, etc., and it wouldn't hurt to get it, but do I _need_ it for recording? Eventually, I'd like to put out a demo from this stuff so I'd like premier sound, but I already have thousands of samples, some of which would be impossible to re-create.

It's important as I only have one PCI slot left. If it turns out I _can_ get a new soundcard without having to re-do all my samples, which one is good for Mac?

Any help appreciated,

Macuser

[AlChuck]

Any 24-bit card I know of will play anything up to 24-bit resolution WAV files. No need to convert them or anything.

[macuser]

Will I have to re-do the samples? Will there be a difference between the recorded results if I make a cd now or record one _with the same samples_ with the new soundcard?

macuser

[Sabith]

Well....... if U got a 24 bit soundcard U would have no problem playing the 16bit samples, but if U were recording something in 24 bit, U would have to use 24 bit samples with it, when U record, U have to use 1 bitrate in the whole mix. But you could convert them all, they would sound just the same, as long as U used a desent program to do the conversion. and don't forget you going from 16bit--->24 bit, going from good to better, so it only makes sense that the sound will at least stay the same.

Sabith

[ola]

Depending on the quality of your built-in card, you will benefit more or less from getting a "real" audio card. Regardless of bit depth, a soundcard made for recording will have better A/D convertors and thus, your recording will sound better.

If you get a 24bit card, you would probably have to convert your present 16bit files as your recording SW may yield better results if all files are in the same format. It may even be impossible to mix file formats, I never tried. I don't think that the convertions will ruin your recordings as long as youi get a good conversion program.

I think that the reasons "gaming" and "listening" for getting a new soundcard are less valid than "recording" but what can you expect from people around here

So, what's the conclusion of this rambling? Get an audio card if you think, or know, that your recording quality will improve. If not, don't bother.

/Ola

[Sabith]

Ya....... U can't use both 16 bit and 24 bit files at the same time, at least in my experiance......

Sabith