Does kbps matter for file importing

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Nate74

Nate74

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I'm trying to put together a project with wav files recorded on two different systems: a ProTools system that generated .wavs that were 96/24 and .wavs from my HD24XR, also at 96/24. I can import the wavs from the protools session no problem, but for some reason the wavs from my HD24 won't import.

When I check the files' properties, the only difference I see is in the Bit Rates. The protools generated waves are 2304 kbps and the ones from my HD24 are 6144. Does that matter? How can I fix it so all the files will import into my Cakewalk?

Thanks
 
WAVs with bit rates? I thought that was only used as a measure in compressed audio files (MP3, WMA, Real Audio, etc.) to indicate how fast the data stream needed to be for them to stream effectively.
 
I believe wave files can be in any rate you record them at - 16 bit 44.1, 24-bit 48, whatever.
 
I'm confused by this... here's a more detailed description. When I go to the individual wav files and look at the summary tab on "properties" for the ones I can import they say:

Bit Rate 2304kbps
Audio sample size 24 bit
Channels 1(mono)
Audio sample rate 96kHz
Audio format PCM

And the ones I recorded which won't import into CW say:

Bit Rate 6122kbps
Audio sample size 24 bit
Channels 1(mono)
Audio sample rate 96kHz
Audio format PCM

So they both have a sample rate of 96kHz, it's that darn bit Rate that is different.

Heck I don't even know if this is the problem, but it's the only difference I can find in the two files :(

Any other thoughts?
 
I believe wave files can be in any rate you record them at - 16 bit 44.1, 24-bit 48, whatever.
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The number of bits of resolution is different than a bit rate. The bit rate is a measure of how many bits per second (or how many thousand bits per second in the case of kbps) are passed through a network connection. An MP3 with a bit rate of 96 kbps basically tells you that the connection needs to be about that fast for the file to get across the network so that it won't stutter or stop when played back.
 
AlChuck said:
The number of bits of resolution is different than a bit rate. The bit rate is a measure of how many bits per second (or how many thousand bits per second in the case of kbps) are passed through a network connection. An MP3 with a bit rate of 96 kbps basically tells you that the connection needs to be about that fast for the file to get across the network so that it won't stutter or stop when played back.
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actually, un;ess I am seriously mistaken in my audio theory, the bit rate is how many bits per second it takes to represent a (digital) signal.
 
ok from what I know MP3's have a maxiumum kbps of 320.A 16 bit 44.1khz mono file is 706 kbps.That information shows in Winamp.Ok I guess this wasnt really relevant but...ok.I dont know hwow to inmport your HD waves.
 
Hmmmm.... I've done this countless times with 44.1/24 files and 48/24 files so what's up with these particular 96/24 files and Cakewalk? Hope some body jumps in here. :confused:
 
Here's some more fuel for the confussion fire. On a whim, I converted the 96/24 files to 48/24 with R8Brain. Then converted them back to 96/24. The Bit Rate dropped from the original 6144 to 2304 and imported fine into CW...
 
actually, un;ess I am seriously mistaken in my audio theory, the bit rate is how many bits per second it takes to represent a (digital) signal.
Click to expand...

You are mistaken. The bit depth or resolution is the number of bits used for each digital sample. The sampling rate is how many samples are captured per second. So a 16-bit 44.1 kHz sampling rate captures 44,100 samples every second, each one consisting of 16 bits of data.

The bit rate of a connection is how many bits pass a given point per second.
 
AlChuck said:
You are mistaken. The bit depth or resolution is the number of bits used for each digital sample. The sampling rate is how many samples are captured per second. So a 16-bit 44.1 kHz sampling rate captures 44,100 samples every second, each one consisting of 16 bits of data.

The bit rate of a connection is how many bits pass a given point per second.
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Ah, yes, my bad, actually, you are half-right.

Indeed, I had the term confused. However, bit rate has nothing to do with a connection, it literally is the *average* number of bits per second required to by the audio source. It is independent of, and knows nothing about a connection.
 
If there's no connection between a source (for example, the audio data on a storage device) and a destination (for example, the sound hardware that's turning the audio from digital to analog to send it out to the speakers), then a rate of transfer of bits is meaningless. A connection is implicit whether you hook some external wire up or not. The connection is what makes the flow of data happen.
 
So um... anythoughts on the problem I'm having? For instance, is the difference I'm seeing in Bit Rate actually the source of my problem?
 
AlChuck said:
If there's no connection between a source (for example, the audio data on a storage device) and a destination (for example, the sound hardware that's turning the audio from digital to analog to send it out to the speakers), then a rate of transfer of bits is meaningless. A connection is implicit whether you hook some external wire up or not. The connection is what makes the flow of data happen.
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huh? Ummm, I don't think so........
 
Nate74 said:
So um... anythoughts on the problem I'm having? For instance, is the difference I'm seeing in Bit Rate actually the source of my problem?
Click to expand...

In this I would agree with Al. to the best of my knowledge, wavs do not have bit rates because the number of bits per second is static (depth *sample count).

I would check your setting to make sure you are not compressing your audio in some way.
 
fraserhutch said:
huh? Ummm, I don't think so........
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what doesn't make sense to you, it's pretty logical. and why are .wav files static? they can have any combination of bit depth or sample rate, and thus their bit transfer rate is gonna be different.
 
minofifa said:
what doesn't make sense to you, it's pretty logical. and why are .wav files static? they can have any combination of bit depth or sample rate, and thus their bit transfer rate is gonna be different.
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They're static in that once you have determined the bit depth and sample rate, the rate does not change, unlike mp3s. They are completely deterministic in that two recordings of the same depth and rate will be of the same size for the same length clip. Not true for mp3s.

With mp3s, and indeed a lot of compression schemes, the number of bits/sec required to encode audio (I didn't read closely enough and got my terms munged before) varies across the encoding. The bit rate represents the *average* number of bits/sec required to represent the audio.

It has NOTHING to do with connections, or streaming, or what not. It may seem like quibbling, but it really isn't.

Now, it SO HAPPENS that yes, the transfer rate affects the rate of transmission across a network, IN THE SAME WAY that a wave file of different bit depth and sample rate will.
 
Paul881 said:
I think I have just lost the will to live :eek:
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Did you check your settings to see if you are unwittingly compressing your data? I think we are all in agreement that what you are seeing shouldn't be. We're missing something here - your wav files should not have a bit rate.
 
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