Re: OT: other recorder recommendations ?

[Alex Stahl <alex@pixar.com>]

A signal recorded at -20dBFS (a common analog 0 VU level) on a 16 bit system is only a 13 bit sample. If you need more than 20 dB of headroom in an unpredictable live situation, you can easily end up with the quiet parts being essentially 8 bit recordings. This is true no matter how carefully you set your gain structure. Yuck! On a 24 bit system, you can record at -48 and still get a 16 bit sample.

Of course that's assuming you that the converter is performing as advertised. Most don't, but 21 bits is still more than 14. Also I think we're talking about recording line level signals direct, so mic and preamp noise floor won't be the limiting factor. Using microphones in a 24 bit system with very good preamps and converters, I still usually run out of money before I run out of mic noise.

-Alex S.

p.s. bit depth and sampling rate are independent


On Jul 8, 2004, at 7:30 PM, Travis Hartnett wrote:

> Increasing the bit-depth of your sampling rate doesn't automatically translate to "more headroom".  You can always overload the input stage regardless of the number of bits per sample.  Figuring out the effective dynamic range of your music and then setting your gain stages accordingly will probably be a lot more effective (and cheaper) than upping your bit-depth.
>
> TravisH
>
> On Jul 8, 2004, at 7:19 PM, Loopers-Delight-d-request@loopers-delight.com wrote:
>
> > From: Mark Hamburg <mark_hamburg@baymoon.com>
> > Date: July 8, 2004 9:07:37 AM PDT
> > To: Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
> > Subject: Re: OT: other recorder recommendations ?
> >
> >
> > On a related subject. I'm looking for a stereo recorder to use with my rig when doing live gigs. Preferably something rackmountable or easily hidden inside my relatively small rack. Preferably higher bit depth than 16-bit so that I've got headroom to spare while playing. My portable DAT fails on multiple fronts such as being somewhat bulky and being only 16-bit and recording at 48kHz unless one feeds it digital which is non-ideal when the target is CD output.