64 bit audio export

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DRUM

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Is it possible to export audio mix down in 64 bit (considering that my windows OS was 64 bit) using new Sonar 6?
If not (what I think) WHY?

THe same Q for MAC:
 
Because there is no such thing as 64 bit audio.

If your converters are 24 bit, you aren't going to have any more resolution than that. The wordlength that your computer can compute at has nothing to do with the wordlenght of your audio. Two completely different concepts.
 
Yes, Sonar 6 can bounce 64 bit files (I just did). You're stuck in the tracking frame of mind Fairview and you've forgot about 1. virtual instruments 2. 64 bit effects processing. Cakewalk prides itself in it's utilization of 64 bit summing, mixing and processing.
 
Strave said:
Yes, Sonar 6 can bounce 64 bit files (I just did). You're stuck in the tracking frame of mind Fairview and you've forgot about 1. virtual instruments 2. 64 bit effects processing. Cakewalk prides itself in it's utilization of 64 bit summing, mixing and processing.
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Crock. Upconverting a 24-bit file does not suddenly embue it with any greater fidelity.
 
Strave said:
Yes, Sonar 6 can bounce 64 bit files (I just did). You're stuck in the tracking frame of mind Fairview and you've forgot about 1. virtual instruments 2. 64 bit effects processing. Cakewalk prides itself in it's utilization of 64 bit summing, mixing and processing.
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What convertors do you have? What OS?
Did system just convert 32 bit audio to 64 bit after mixing it?
Would it be same process like converting mp3 to WAV?
:( :confused: :rolleyes:
 
Strave said:
Yes, Sonar 6 can bounce 64 bit files (I just did). You're stuck in the tracking frame of mind Fairview and you've forgot about 1. virtual instruments 2. 64 bit effects processing. Cakewalk prides itself in it's utilization of 64 bit summing, mixing and processing.
Click to expand...
It it 64 bit floating point or fixed?
 
DRUM said:
Did system just convert 32 bit audio to 64 bit after mixing it?
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If it is anything that was recorded through converters, you have 24 bit audio, not 32 bit. There is no such thing as 32 bit converters.
 
Internal math = 64 or less (software based)

External math = 24 or 16 (hardware based)

It's that simple.
 
There's obviously some confusion here!

Every computer has its own word length, which is dictated by its physical architecture. In general, the length of the computer's "word" dictates a) how big an integer can be, b) how much memory can be addressed, and c) how big a file can be.

I started programming on 16-bit machines, where the maximum integral value of a word was 32767 (2**16 - 1). Most computers now have 32-bit words, although some mainframes have 36. The newer Intel and AMD computers, of course, have 64-bit words.

But the size of a byte, whether the word is 32 bits or 64 bits, is 8 bits, and files are generally written and read in bytes or multiples thereof, so ... a file is a file, and it doesn't matter what the machine's word size is.

If an audio sample takes 24 bits (three bytes), it doesn't sound change the sound one iota to process it in a 64-bit word. You still only have 24 bits of information.
 
Sounds like people are simply throwing out terms here without understanding what they actually mean.

Most modern day DAWs (Cubase, Sonar) allow you work in a 32bit float mode. The additional bits help during the mixing process and not recording.

Everytime you apply an effect to a track, you are simply executing mathematical operations. If you have 8 additional bits in front of or behind your 24bit audio file, you have more space to perform those mathematical operations with more precision and not destroy/loose resoluion your original data in the process. Basically it prevents digital clipping (loss of resolution, usually in the high frequencies).

Think of the additional 8 bits as an "Alpha Channel" for your audio. Alpha channels are used extensively in Photoshop when you composite 2 images and need to worry about transparency masks, etc.

I do not know if Sonar 5/6 employ a 64bit float audio engine, but if they did, it would not provide any significant benefit over a 32bit audio engine and be useless overkill.
 
brzilian said:
I do not know if Sonar 5/6 employ a 64bit float audio engine, but if they did, it would not provide any significant benefit over a 32bit audio engine and be useless overkill.
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You are so wrong. It allows many more multiple processes to be utlized during mixing. More plug ins, more synths less stuttering. Basically more volume of data over time. The 1s and 0s stay the same but the total volume of bits processed in a given time frame increases.
 
Middleman said:
You are so wrong. It allows many more multiple processes to be utlized during mixing. More plug ins, more synths less stuttering. Basically more volume of data over time. The 1s and 0s stay the same but the total volume of bits processed in a given time frame increases.
Click to expand...
We seem to be confusing wordlength of the audio file with the wordlength that your processor can handle. Having a larger audio wordlength would tax the cpu more. Having a 64 bit processor will give you more volume of data over time. We are talking about two different things here.
 
Middleman said:
You are so wrong. It allows many more multiple processes to be utlized during mixing. More plug ins, more synths less stuttering. Basically more volume of data over time. The 1s and 0s stay the same but the total volume of bits processed in a given time frame increases.
Click to expand...

Middleman,

I suggest you actually research the terms you are throwing around. You are not making any sense.
 
Middleman said:
Terms? Such as?
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You are talking about processor word length, we are all talking about audio file word length. Two different things, that's why you aren't making sense in this discussion.
 
What Farview said.

A 32bit processor can handle 64, 128 or even 256 bit audio files just fine because the two are not related in any significant way.
 
OK, I see where you are going here I did not read all of brzilian's statement and see now where he was going. However, the original question was "Is it possible to export audio mix down in 64 bit (considering that my windows OS was 64 bit) using new Sonar 6? The answer is yes. There is a resolution setting in the software which allows you to export a mix down to a 64 bit file. Plain and simple. Farview, you took this down the wrong road with your audio file length comment. This did not address the original question. brzilian then stated "I do not know if Sonar 5/6 employ a 64bit float audio engine, but if they did, it would not provide any significant benefit over a 32bit audio engine and be useless overkill." The answer is, it provides a significant improvement. See from the Cakewalk site below.

"SONAR has set new standards for sound quality with the first, end-to-end, 64-bit double precision floating point mix engine. Every subtlety of your performance—from the decay of a fine acoustic guitar to the reverb tail of a cathedral—can now be clearly present in your mix.

SONAR achieves this unmatched level of audio quality by providing spacious amounts of headroom and footroom through extended dynamic range. You will also realize more definition in your mix through the improved summing and pristine digital signal path provided by 64-bit mixing.

SONAR’s unique mix engine maintains the 64-bit signal path from track to plug-in to bus, making it possible to retain absolute integrity of your audio throughout the production process, even when passing information to and from plug-ins.

Best of all—SONAR’s 64-bit mix engine is seamless and accessible even on 32-bit computers, so you can get the sound quality you deserve with the computer you already own.

SONAR 6 also features native support for 64-bit floating point audio files, allowing you to import, stream, and render tracks and mixes at the highest quality available in the industry."

Can you export a mix down to 64 bit files in Sonar? Yes.

Will it then play on your soundcard, no. They are meant to be production files for mixing and mastering in Sonar alone. They are designed to provide things like lower noise floor and higher headroom.
 
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solo.guitar said:
Is there really any point in going above 24?
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For the final version no. While working on the production files, prior to commiting to a 16bit 44.1 file yes.
 
Middleman said:
See from the Cakewalk site below.

"SONAR has set new standards for sound quality with the first, end-to-end, 64-bit double precision floating point mix engine. Every subtlety of your performance—from the decay of a fine acoustic guitar to the reverb tail of a cathedral—can now be clearly present in your mix.

SONAR achieves this unmatched level of audio quality by providing spacious amounts of headroom and footroom through extended dynamic range. You will also realize more definition in your mix through the improved summing and pristine digital signal path provided by 64-bit mixing.

SONAR’s unique mix engine maintains the 64-bit signal path from track to plug-in to bus, making it possible to retain absolute integrity of your audio throughout the production process, even when passing information to and from plug-ins.

Best of all—SONAR’s 64-bit mix engine is seamless and accessible even on 32-bit computers, so you can get the sound quality you deserve with the computer you already own.

SONAR 6 also features native support for 64-bit floating point audio files, allowing you to import, stream, and render tracks and mixes at the highest quality available in the industry."

Can you export a mix down to 64 bit files in Sonar? Yes.

Will it then play on your soundcard, no. They are meant to be production files for mixing and mastering in Sonar alone. They are designed to provide things like lower noise floor and higher headroom.
Click to expand...

I would submit that this is advertising fluff. It really doesn't stand up to technical scrutiny.
 
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