sampling rates

[wizbri]

For several years I'd used a basic MOTU system with Win98: the 2408mkII and its PCI-324 card. Having recently upgraded to XP, I went to the MOTU site to acquire the proper new driver: XP driver page

Here's where I get a little confused (alas, not an unusual scenario). On the above page, the text says that this upgraded PCI-324 driver "contains improved 96K support."

"Improved"? My 2408 had never been capable of anything but 44 and 48 sampling rates. So tell me: There's no way a driver alone will suddenly give me 96khz ... right? Sampling limits are ultimately determined by the hardware, not the software ... right?

And here's why I'm extra confused, now that I've installed the driver: While 44 and 48 continue to be the only options listed in my card's onscreen interface, I just now created a little test project in Samplitude and recorded a wav at "96khz." It didn't just pretend to do it, either -- I saved the file, checked the wav properties in another program, and sure enough: 96khz/24-bit. How can that be? I always knew bits could be "faked" by a recording program -- by padding on zeros or what have you -- but I thought a sampling rate was a sampling rate, period.

Somebody please help set me straight. Soundcard-For-Dummies style answers would be most appreciated.

Thanks!
WB

 

[TexRoadkill]

You are limited by the hardware but up and down sampling is pretty common. It would appear they allow you you to use 96khz files but they most likely down sample them to 44.1khz before hitting the convertors.

I'm not really familliar with the 2408 so I could be mistaken.

 

[wizbri]

All right, so...

I run a line from my guitar amp into the hardware, which I've set at 48hkz.

The hardware samples the sound at 48khz and sends it into my computer.

My editing program then samples this 48khz data at its own rate -- be it 96, 192, whatever.

But the bottom line is that the digitized guitar sound contains no more information than what was extracted from the analog signal in the beginning -- at 48khz.

Is this correct?

 

[wizbri]

Waaahhh. No answer. So I guess this is officially a BUMP.

Bottom line: I'm wondering what exactly I'm recording when I've got a 48khz card but a program that willingly records at 96 and 192. Note that those are the only two links in my chain: MOTU and Cool Edit. Just audio running straight into the card and then processed in Cool Edit.

Lil' help here, please, from one of the smart folks 'round here?

Thanks~~