20 bit Gina Question

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Valgrim

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Ok, I recently picked up a Gina, the 20 bit version. I must admit I am a little confused. From what I gather 16 bit=65,535 analog voltages and 20 bit=1,048,576 and then 24=16,777,216 right? So the jump from 16 to 20 is rather significant.

1. Is 24 bit much better than 20?
2. The manual says that the internal bit depth is 24, why then is it a 20 bit card? I assume it's because the ins and outs are 20 bit. What's the difference?

And finally... The software that I'm using (N-Track) gives the option to record at 16 or 24. No 20 bit choice. So do I then just record at 24? Does it matter? I'm so confused. :(

If anyone can enlighten this poor soul I'd be extremely grateful.

-valgrim
 
I have the same card.
I consider it to be a very nice 16 bit card.
If you want 24 bits get the GINA 24.
It would seem that if your S/W really supports 24 bit recording from a 20 bit card, then the S/W would merely pad the LSBs with zeroes. When you resample back down to 16 is it going to be any cleaner being done from the 24 bit padded version or direct from the available 20 bits? Sounds like a wash if the converters are of equal quality.
 
So you just record at 16 bits then? I think it would be kind of depressing to have a 20 bit card and get no use out of the extra 4 bit depth. Forgive me if I misunderstood what you're saying.

I'm only pressing the issue because to enable 24 bit recording with N-Track I'll have to pay extra (the bastards). Of course if I can find software that supports a 20 bit recording mode that would be optimal perhaps?

On the bright side it kicks the hell out of the AWE 64 I had ;)

-valgrim
 
You're getting some hidden benefits of 20 bits.
I'll bet it kicks SB butt from here to eternity.
Well- Vegas Pro supports 24 bit recording but it's greyed out as a choice when using the GINA. That says something right there.
I'd just record at 16 bits and be a happy camper until you get a 24 bit card and are then elevated to the very happy camper brigade.
 
After some exhaustive searching I found this quote...

"Event's Gina, Darla and Layla multichannel cards (with 20 bits converters, actually seen by Windows as 24 bits ones, so that they may be exploited using n-Track support for 24 bit soundcards)"

This was from an official FaSoft faq I dug up. This would seem to support what you said about padding the LSBs with 0's.

Of course I read somewhere else that 24 bit cards typically get 18-19 bits and that the Gina typically captures 16 bits. So then by this logic a 16 bit depth would garner 12 or so "good" bits?

If anyone can point me to a good technical study on the truth of bit rates that would be really cool. I would search the BBS but everytime I do I end up with wierd threads dealing with some guy named Stephen Paul. ;P

I just saw your second reply after I originally posted this Dr. That FaSoft quote is still nagging the piss out of me though. :) Ah well. I'll record at 16 bit until I know better. :)

Thank a bunch for your time Dr. Out of curiosity, are you a member of the "really happy camper brigade" yet or do you still use the Gina? :)

-valgrim



[Edited by Valgrim on 10-19-2000 at 22:42]
 
Yeah- I'm just speaking from my own experiences with GINA.
I like her just the way she is. I don't need to pad her bits. Her 16 bits are really 16, not 12 as you extrapolate from some other data.

And my stuff is available at my website so you can see for yourself if 16 bit recording is as big an embarassment as you make it out to be. It ain't as slick as 24 obviously.
But GINA is quiet enough to produce some credible results.
 
I took a listen to some of the mp3s and my conclusion is that if I can get close to the quality of them I'll be totally happy. :) You have a really cool sound. My favorite thing was the diagram though ;) Screw the monitors I was looking at I think it's time to invest in some litter boxes. :P

It's hard not to get obsessed with perfection when you read this board I guess. Thanks for talking some sense in to me!

-valgrim
 
Thanks for your kind comments on my mixes! I've recently had to rearrange the layout due to some new additions, so the cat litter pails have been replaced with 5-gallon blue plastic jugs supporting a 4U SKB rack mount case supporting the left monitor.... :)
The batphone is still there. I moved the printer to the floor next to the tower.
The pails are perfect mic cases, wonderful cable cases, and stack to take up less space when on the road. One of them carries my UPS and a few Heavy Duty extension cords. The sealing lids are a plus. I've carried my mics, cables & accessories in the pouring rain without a leak ruining my day. Same goes for the SKB cases.
 
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