Recording 16 bit w/ a 24 bit card ???

  • Thread starter Thread starter scareddude
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scareddude

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Damn this seems like a dumb question but I couldn't find anything specific to this searching the boards.

Anyway I'm looking at buying the RME Hammerfall multiface card which is 24 bit/96 kHz, the problem is I'm using Cakewalk 9 and I need to be able to add tracks to a previous project/song that was recorded at 16 bit/44.1. So I'm wondering if there is a way to do this.

It seems like the card would have to support 16 bit right? And I don't suppose there's a way to convert the 16 bit project to 24 bit?
 
AFAIK you should be able to go either way. Record at 16 bits through the RME, or change the project to 24 bits. Personally, I would go with the latter approach.

Obviously, this will not make your existing 16 bit tracks into 24 bit tracks (or maybe it will, but the extra bits will simply be padded with zero's). However, it will allow you to record new tracks at 24 bits. And to export it at 24 bits, if you plan further processing.

This should be as simple as installing the new card and changing the Sonar settings for your audio card and project bit depth to 24 bits. Obviously you will have to profile the new card. If you are removing the original card entirely, it might not hurt to just delete your aud.ini file after the new card is installed and before you restart Sonar.

If you're nervous, save the old project as a bundle file (.bun) and drop it on a CD. Then work on the project file (wrk). This way you wil have the original 16 bit project in case there are any issues (although I don't see why there should be).
 
Thanks! I was hoping there was a way.

I don't have Sonar, (it's Cakewalk Pro Audio 9, I think) but hopefully this will work anyway. Also it's a new PC and I do have it backed up as a .BUN on CD.

I'll keep you posted, thanks again for your help.
 
Thanks! I was hoping there was a way.

I don't have Sonar, (it's Cakewalk Pro Audio 9, I think) but hopefully this will work anyway. Also it's a new PC and I do have it backed up as a .BUN on CD.

I'll keep you posted, thanks again for your help.
 
scareddude said:
I don't have Sonar, (it's Cakewalk Pro Audio 9, I think) but hopefully this will work anyway.
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Yeah, you said that in your original post. Slip of the tongue on my part. Same procedure for PA9.
 
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