Should I record at 48 khz and covert to 44.1 for CD

  • Thread starter Thread starter Paul Ertel
  • Start date Start date
P

Paul Ertel

New member
I am using Cakewalk 9.03 and have a 24 bit digital mixer, Motu 2408 MK2. I am recoring at 24 bits. I have my sample rate set at 44.1 because I go directly from the board to cakewalk and final mix onto a stereo track. I have a CD program called Wavelab 2.0 and it talks about being able to covert the sample rate. I have kept my sample rate at 44.1 because it would be eventually going to CD. Would I get better quality sound if I recorded at 48khz and then converted the final wave file to 44.1 with the Wavelab Software. Please help!! Thanks,
Paul
 
Insignificant difference between the two. If your going to Cd then use 44.1.
If you need to sync it to something else that works at 48 then use it.
 
I've heard it's better to stay at 44.1 since the sample rate conversion is likely to do more sonic damage than any benefits you'd get from recording at 48kHz.
 
Keeping it all at 44.1k is the best way to go, not only to avoid confusion but to save yourself some steps. You will at some point, however, want to convert your word length from 24-bit to 16-bit, as all cd's are 16-bit.
 
Always, always record at 16 bit 44 etc. I know because I went to burn a jam and I kept getting this error message saying "track not added because its not cd quality". The good folks at Midiman were kind enough to let me know that I need to keep that setting in order to burn- nothing else.
 
I have to disagree with one point there trackdadda... recording at 24 bits and dithering down to 16bits at mastering has a lot of advantages.
 
I agree - stay at 44.1, but record at 24 bit then convert your final mixed product to 16 bit. However you should test it both way yourself. You might try recording a song from a CD, record album, or MIDI synth (anything into an analog input) that you are very familiar with. Record it at 16 bit, then record it again at 24 and convert to 16. That will give you an idea if your conversion software (whatever you are using) is introducing any oddities.
 
pglewis- I was referring to the final mix product- actually being able to burn the recording onto a disk. Didn't meant to misrepresent or mislead.
 
Final answer

After researching this matter for the past 2 weeks I can give the answer given to me by Bob Katz himself. I myself was not know sure about the answer but after speaking to him I'm more sure of it.

He suggested not to record 48 if you are using semipro audio cards and software of the likes of Cakewalk-Cubase-Logic-PTLE.
He included Dithering as well but was not specific enough about it for me to conclude about those specific programs.

The only situation he suggested staying in 48 would be to send it off to a mastering house that owns top quality Sample rate converters to do this for you.

I defnitly have benefited from this Topic.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top