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Originally Posted by drtedtan
I'm not sure who you have been hanging around to arrive at that number, Softsynth, but I've known many musicians who keep their PA system(s) in their house when not using them for live sound reinforcement. And even a mediocre PA system can handle this dynamic range in a typical living room or media room environment (the larger the room, the more power you'll need to attain higher volume levels, so smaller rooms in the home are not a particular challenge). No special acoustics or system required. And as technology continues to develop, it is likely that even the average Joe will have access to such systems in his home in the near future.
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PA systems are not suitable systems for home listening, they do not offer a high level of fidelity without colouration, it simply isn't what they are designed for. It would be ironic to obsess about maximum dynamic range and then to pump it though a PA system!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by drtedtan
But this is missing the greater point that I intended to make, which is not that we should release at 24 bit, necessarily, but that we should track, mix and master at 24 bit (or greater) so that way we have the option of utilizing that bit depth for either 1) projects that require it, or 2) in the future as it is becoming an industry standard audio format. From there, you can always create lower resolution versions, for lack of a better term, but you can't increase the "resolution" if you start with a 16/44.1K file.
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Regarding bit depth I make all my recordings at 24/48.
There has been plenty of information from respected sources that will explain that sample rates above this actually can cause problems back down in the audible spectrum, and should be avoided.
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Originally Posted by drtedtan
My comment was in regards to recording orchestras, such as the London Symphony Orchestra or the Prague Philharmonic, so the worthy performance should be given in that context. But you do have a good point as it applies to the music that the average Joe makes in his bedroom.
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No, I meant worthy performances from great Orchestras, not the majority of home production, the latter is a given. The majority of Pop and Rock from 1960s to now certainly would not quality in this regard either. Most are not remotely approaching the capability of 16bit 44.1khz, never mind 24/96.
Also most loudspeaker cabinets reduce the fidelity way below 16bits. Much audio resolution is effectively lost in loudspeaker cabinets.
Hard to find world class (Gramophone recommended performances etc.) performances that are genuinely benefiting from 24bit recording dynamic range and as good as the best performances that you can find on CD and vinyl.
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Originally Posted by drtedtan
Tinnitus is not actually sound, it is imaginary, and as such, it does not interfere with our ability to hear real sounds.
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This insults sufferers and is factually incorrect.
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Originally Posted by drtedtan
As I said in the post you quoted, people may well prefer the reduced dynamic range of a compressed version of the performance, but that does not make it an accurate transcription of the performance as it originally occurred.
Which brings me back to my main point - if you record, mix, master at 24 bit (and 96K, which is becoming an industry standard) you can also create numerous other versions for different clients. That way you can deliver the 24/96K file to the director who wants to use your music in his movie and the compressed version to Mr. PC so he won't be scared if he forgets to turn the volume back down before the horns kick in. 
But if you start with a lower bit rate version, you can't get those dynamics back (sure you can run it through an expander, but it won't be the same). |
I record at 24bit. 48khz remains the industry standard, some may push for 96khz but no one loses sleep over that one.
Did you know that the vast majority of cinema systems are inferior to home systems and do not offer the DTS HDMA and Dolby HD of Blu ray OR EVEN DVD?
In fact the bitrate in cinemas is notably lower than lowly 2 channel CD for its multiple channels!
DTS HD and Dolby HD are audiophile home standards, and beyond the requirements or technical abilities of typical DTS and Dolby cinema systems.