Export 16 bit files to a 24 bit recording?

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TECHNINOT

TECHNINOT

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Hello!

Thanks to David Wills of Pro Audio DVDs, I just recently came to understand the interest of recording in the 24 bit/48kHz mode (which means that I will probably re-record over 20 songs that I’ve been working on for the last five years). Oh well…

My question today is can I export 16 bit files to a 24 bit recording?
For the song I am presently working on, I have been able to record 4 rather choir-like background vocals that I particularly like - for the overall color, feeling, etc. Even if I absolutely must start the recording again in 24 bit mode, I would love to be able to import those 4 tracks. I don’t use a DAW system but I do have Garage Band on my laptop - can I do something?

Thanks for your precious assistance.
 
You can definitely use 16 bit files in a 24 bit project, in a general sense. I don't know the specifics for whatever device you might be using. What device are you using?
 
If you go back to your multitracks and try to re-do them you'll never be happy, so just import them. I now record at 24 bit as standard but loads of our stuff has archive material and cubase just deals with them without me getting involved. Just try it on the laptop and see how it goes. To be honest, converting them will probably be transaparent and you won't be able to tell.
 
16 bit to 24 bit rerun

Hello again,

Please forgive me, I neglected to mention that I work with a TASCAM DP24SD - without any DAW assistance.
My hope was to be able to recuperate some tracks, but I'm not 100% against starting all over with all my song projects - especially if using the 24 bit format is going to improve my sound and the faciltity of creating it.

Thanks for your ideas.
 
TECHNINOT said:
Hello!

Thanks to David Wills of Pro Audio DVDs, I just recently came to understand the interest of recording in the 24 bit/48kHz mode (which means that I will probably re-record over 20 songs that I’ve been working on for the last five years). Oh well…
Click to expand...

and..
My hope was to be able to recuperate some tracks, but I'm not 100% against starting all over with all my song projects - especially if using the 24 bit format is going to improve my sound and the faciltity of creating it.
Click to expand...
Oh my. No. Yes continuing forward go 24 bit if it's available on the rig. But the 16 bit to 24 bit differences are minimal -minor compared to the content [music!] which is what it is all about.
 
Thanks MIxsit,

As I suspected, my attempts to import my 16 bit files onto a 24 bit song were greeted with “can not import”. I repeat, I work with a TASCAM DP-24SD without the participation of a DAW system.
Do you think I could eventually get a few cherished tracks from a previous recording onto the new one
by using Garage Band - without losing too much sound quality and/or gain?

Of course you're right about what counts in the work-of-love we're doing.
I've just been a bit intimidated by the current need for "perfect sound".
I really want to get my songs out there in totally listenable form.

Thanks for your patience and care.
 
If you can convert your files to 24 bit and re-import them, they won't (shouldn't) suffer any loss of quality. You just won't get the small improvement in quality that files recorded in 24 bit have. As long as the 16 bit recordings were recorded at a decent level, not too low, it shouldn't make much difference.
 
That's exactly it! Don't fall into the trap of assuming 24 bit IS better, it simply CAN be better. Think of all the 16 bit remixed classic tracks - adding extra bits to increase the dynamic range isn't what improves it, it's the other stuff in the remix you could have a huge stab that decays cavern like to the point it can't be heard and the new processing allows the just above nothing level to be a little cleaner. If you take a 16 bit file and convert it to 24 bit - you can have a bit of extra headroom at the top if you want, but that's about it. Take a 24 bit file and convert to 16 bit and you will throw away something. However, it depends what the something is. Some recordings would simply be subjectively the same sounding.
 
If you can't make a great sounding recording at 16 bit, going to 24 bit won't help.

The difference isn't worth rerecording anything. Any difference you hear will be something you did differently, not the extra 8 bits.
 
Hi, I never encountered issues importing 16 bit wav files in 24 bit project.
Different sample frequencies can/will be problem. So maybe your wav file is 44.1 khz en your project now 48khz ?
Converting 16 bit to 24 bit: the last 8 bits wil be digital zero, ie after conversion no difference in sound (only takes more space ��)
Converting 44.1 khz tot 48 khz: de wav file with 44.100 samples per second will need to be converted to 48000 sample per second, you will need wav file converter to do this.

Advantage 24 bit recording: way far better noise floor, ie no “hot recording” nessecary. This really is a advantage, more headroom !
Advantage higher sampling rate: higher frequenties will be captured. 44.1k sampling rate will capture upto approx 22khz frequenties, 96k upto 48khz sound frequencies, etc

Standard DAT recording was 48k 16 bit
Cd quality: 44.1k 16 bit

All my recording is 24 bit, most 48.1k, some 96k
 
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