Does Anyone Use "32-bit" True Tape? Thoughts?

[trogdor]

Hey yall...
I have SX and I was wondering if any of you use the supposed 32bit true tape plugin and if you think it's worth using. I'm not sure if I completely understand what it does...does it ACTUALLY record to 32bit or is it some kind of tape saturation simulator?

First question...I have a delta 1010 which records up to 24bit...is it pointless to use the 32bit Truetape if my card can't perform to that spec? (i.e. just wasting disk space while not improving sound quality)

2. Is the quality noticeably better than 24bit?

3. Can someone tell me how to change to 24-bit recording mode in SX? Because I thought i was recording to 24-bit until I opened an exported file in CEP and it said 16-bit. Is this a setting in cubase or one on my Delta 1010 software control panel?

Thanks much
trogdor

[Neil Ogilvie]

As for teh Exported file you opened, it was probable you exported while dithering to 16 bit, 44.1 Khz - standard CD sample rates.

The 32 bit float point is explained in depth very simpley in the help function in Cubase. What it basicly does is convert the 24 bit source to a 32 bit file. Not entirely sure why, but it is similar to a tape apparantly. It does however make it near impossible to clip apparantly.

Hope I helped. Sorry I can't do more.

[Bass Master "K"]

From what I have read and understand, you are able to use truetape with your soundcard, but you will want it set to 24bit. You set up your recording resolution in the preferences somewhere, and as Neil mentioned, when you export you need to watch the box that has your bit rate, because it is easy to accidently dither your recording to 16 bit without realizing it, however since TrueTape is done in the recording phase the exporting is more a side note than applicable to using TrueTape.

I use truetape occationally and it is simply a analog saturation simulator that you use in the recording phase. I use it on my voice a little bit and it warms it up. Don't think of it as making things sound better, it is just a different type of effect. It makes my voice sound closer to when I used to record tunes on my old 4 track. If you tried recording everything with it I think you would end up with a muddy sounding recording, but again that would depend on how much you put on each instrument/track. I have only played with it with my voice.

[c9-2001]

32float is really 28bit.. i checked some of my recordings under sx and sent them into wavelab.. it reads it as a 28bit file..
when using truetape steinberg says record 32bit float.. you may get a little more headroom, but it does clean voxs up.. at least for me it does, i also have a delta 1010...

[Blue Bear Sound]

Originally posted by c9-2001
32float is really 28bit.. i checked some of my recordings under sx and sent them into wavelab.. it reads it as a 28bit file..

This may be the way Steinberg s/w reads it, but it is a 24-bit WAV to the rest of the world!

There's no such thing as a 28-bit converter - at least, for the time being!