EWQLSO question

[stevebarden]

For those that have the Platinum Plus version that contains both the 16- and 24-bit versions of the library, I'm curious about the difference in quality between the two bit rates. Since ultimately you will deliver a 16-bit wav file (or aiff), is there a noticeable difference? Have you ever done any benchmarks to test the audio quality between them?Thanks.Steve

[davewalton]

Oct 5, 2008, 1:57pm, stevebarden wrote:For those that have the Platinum Plus version that contains both the 16- and 24-bit versions of the library, I'm curious about the difference in quality between the two bit rates. Since ultimately you will deliver a 16-bit wav file (or aiff), is there a noticeable difference? Have you ever done any benchmarks to test the audio quality between them?Thanks.SteveI haven't installed it yet since it takes something like 630,000 Terabytes of disk space. But... I can tell you that I have the previous versions of Gold and Platinum and I can't really tell the difference between Gold (16bit) and Platinum (24bit). I think that's a testiment to Gold as opposed to any slight about Platinum. Mainly I have Platinum (and now Platinum Plus Play Version) because of the three mic locations... something to add more depth the the overall sound. Probably if I really listened, there might be a difference in the quality of the trailing reverb or something subtle but nothing big like the difference between Silver and Gold. That's noticable.

[mazz]

Steve,I've been doing all my work in 24 bit Platinum using the "old" Kontakt version, I haven't installed the Play version yet but I didn't spring for the 16/24 bit upgrade since it didn't seem necessary to me due to having been using 24 normally anyway.But I always work in 24 bit on any project and then when I transfer to 16 bit I use the dithering in Bias Peak. My understanding is that your 16 bit mixes "might" sound a bit better if you start with a 24 bit signal first. Being slightly obsessive about things I have a little control over, I choose to believe that and so I work in 24 bit from the start.I think the reason for the 16bit version in the first place is so that you can work up big orchestrations and not put as much strain on your computer while orchestrating. Then you can load up your 24 bit samples and track them as audio a few at a time before mixing.Of course, when the music is in the background with people talking and explosions going on, does it make a difference? I don't know for sure but I work in 24 bit just in case!Cheers!!Mazz

[stevebarden]

Oct 5, 2008, 3:05pm, mazz wrote:I think the reason for the 16bit version in the first place is so that you can work up big orchestrations and not put as much strain on your computer while orchestrating. Then you can load up your 24 bit samples and track them as audio a few at a time before mixing.Dave and Mazz, thanks for your input and opinions. I've often wondered of the true value of working in 24-bit but mixing down to 16-bit no matter how good your dithering is. But I'll go along with Mazz and believe that 24-bit is better simply because it's more. I do like your explanation of orchestrating in 16-bit and final printing using the 24-bit version. Makes a lot of sense.But like Mazz says, when your music is under a bed of explosions, who really hears your music anyway?Thanks!Steve

[mazz]

Steve, I was only less than half kidding about the background music thing. I truly believe that we should make our music sound as good as possible no matter what its final "destination". If you mix sounds good, it will make a difference even if it's background music.Just to clarify!!Have fun!!Mazz

[stevebarden]

Oct 5, 2008, 4:06pm, mazz wrote:Steve, I was only less than half kidding about the background music thing. I truly believe that we should make our music sound as good as possible no matter what its final "destination". If you mix sounds good, it will make a difference even if it's background music.Just to clarify!!Have fun!!MazzDon't worry. I get the sentiment. It's just that I know the battle between the composer and the mixer that has gone on for forever. It seems no matter how great your score is, it always seems to get buried in the mix.Steve

[georginasaint]

Not to mention after all your hard work, the film is in the theatre and 200 people re slurping diet coke, belching and crunching popcorn!But so many movies get the soundtrack released on CD these days, perhaps that's where attention to detail pays off? That's all I have to say - I know nothing about 16/24 bit and I can't even tell you which I work in...Georgie

[christig]

I upgraded too but I haven't loaded mine either. I have to do some rearranging to get both 16 and 24 bit to fit on my hard drive. I up graded to the 24 bit version thinking that you could install one or the other and found out that this is not the case. I haven't had the time to reconfigure everything but I'm hoping PLAY is easier to read than the old Kontact.I must be getting old but I really struggle with some of the fonts or dark backgrounds on many of the menus.