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Author Topic: 24 bit wav VS CDA files for mastering ??  (Read 2687 times)

Buzz

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24 bit wav VS CDA files for mastering ??
« on: April 20, 2007, 01:56:49 PM »

Hey guys , we just had 5 songs mixed and recieved the masters as CDA files on disk , I asked why ?? and was told that the cd burner he has produces a better sounding file for mastering ? , he also stated that the sample rate conversion in the cd burner was better sounding than using Alsihad .

Anyhow the files sound great I was just wondering if this will make a difference to the ME ???

LAter
Buzz

PS: the mix's were recorded to tape first then transfered ( PT -console-tape-cd )

Andrew Hamilton

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Re: 24 bit wav VS CDA files for mastering ??
« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2007, 03:37:45 PM »

As a rule, I would ask for a CD-ROM of the mixes at their native sample rate (and longest available sample format (e.g., 24 bit)), rather than giving an ME an audio CD.  If the audio CD is the only available archive from which to work, so be it.  But it reads as if your engineer used a higher than CD sampling rate in the production of these mixes.  That's the resolution your ME wants to bring to the real world, as much as possible.  If you "SRC" the mixes before processing, you're throwing away theoretical detail (too soon) and are adding noise that needn't be there.




Andrew
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Greg Reierson

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Re: 24 bit wav VS CDA files for mastering ??
« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2007, 03:44:31 PM »

Buzz wrote on Fri, 20 April 2007 12:56

Hey guys , we just had 5 songs mixed and recieved the masters as CDA files on disk , I asked why ?? and was told that the cd burner he has produces a better sounding file for mastering ?  



I have a friend who uses an HHB CD recorder with the same reasoning. I've offered many times to do an evaluation to see what's going on inside that box...

It may well be that his CD burner does something to the sound that he likes. Truncation? Dither? Who knows. It's not the usual way, but if he can prove it sounds better then why not?

Test it. Make a CD in his burner. Make 24 bit mixes. Load the CD into a workstation and see which sounds better. Test his hypothesis.


GR
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Buzz

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Re: 24 bit wav VS CDA files for mastering ??
« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2007, 10:14:14 PM »

I have the mix's in PT HD format ( unfortunately I dont have PT HD so I'm asking for BWF files ) the main mix's were run through a 1/4" 2 track then to disk , BUT those mix's were not saved on tape so ??????
He has done several albums that were very successfull using CDA files from this burner for mastering , I was just curious if this was a normal process or not .

As I said I do have the mixs pre Tape so they are there

Later
Buzz

PS: I trust his ears otherwise I would have bought the tapes !!
PSS: Thanks for the feedback guys I'm new to the mastering process!

Andrew Hamilton

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Re: 24 bit wav VS CDA files for mastering ??
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2007, 02:32:51 AM »

Buzz wrote on Fri, 20 April 2007 22:14

I have the mix's in PT HD format ... the main mix's were run through a 1/4" 2 track then to disk , BUT those mix's were not saved on tape so ??????
He has done several albums that were very successful using CDA files from this burner for mastering , I was just curious if this was a normal process or not .

As I said I do have the mixs pre Tape so they are there...

PS: I trust his ears otherwise I would have bought the tapes !!



Give the ME the mixes at native resolution – BWAV, or whatever they can use.  If you like the way the Audio CD sounds that had been lain back to tape and then captured on a CD burner (with built-in hi-res ADC followed by SRC?) give that version of the mixes to the ME, as well.  During the session, both versions can be compared and evaluated in the revealing playback environment of the mastering studio.  

Andrew
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Jerry Tubb

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Re: 24 bit wav VS CDA files for mastering ??
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2007, 01:35:21 PM »

I always prefer to receive 24-bit audio files, either wave or aiff.

We've done the comparison many times, & always choose 24-bit over 16-bit for mastering.

The difference is evident in the usual Stereo Image, Depth, and Resolution.

IMO the Bit Depth is faaar more important than the sampling rate, leave it at the native (mix) rate, let the ME do any conversions.

JT
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