Re: [linux-audio-user] Re: 192kHz

On Thu, 2006-01-26 at 20:28 +0100, Carlo Capocasa wrote:

> >From a practical standpoint, I believe that 192 is only rarely needed.
> > 96 should be just as good. It is not likely that the situation is going
> > to change in the near future.
>
> So you're talking about a possible switch from consumer equipment to
> higher bitdepths/frequencies?

If I'm not mistaken, the emerging hi-def audio standards (DVD-Audio and
SACD) use 96kHz.
Now, these are very young standards, barely gearing up to gain market
share. It's gonna take time until they will be replaced by something
using a higher frequency.

> > You need extremely high-quality (and extremely expensive) components in
> > your audio chain to exploit the difference between 192 and 96. You also
> > need very good mixing and mastering skills in order to stay at the top
> > of the quality ladder.
>
> Yeah... Law of diminishing returns at work?

Yes.

> As for the mastering I'm
> wondering if it's worth it to get really good at it myself or if that's
> a lot like learning another musical instrument and best left to the
> pros. (Not meaning people who band together in 'professional
> organizations' but people who do it a lot :)

Well, they're full fledged professions after all. I'm not saying it's
impossible to be good at writing music, AND playing it, AND mixing it,
AND mastering. After all, music giants such as Vangelis did it
successfully, at least in some instances.
I'm just saying that it's a rather uncommon achievement, despite the
common perception.

Good luck, go ahead and try it. You might just have what it takes, but
you'll never know unless you actually try.

> > I would be much more worried about the bit depth - use 24bit instead of
> > 16 whenever possible throughout the processing chain.
>
> I would assume using 32bit is similar in how much 'bang for the buck'
> you get than using 192 kHz?

Do the math. 32 bit is beyond the level of quantum fluctuations at any
reasonable temperature. All it takes is a single analog link in the
chain and poof! there goes your 32bit depth.
Even 24bit is overkill, but it's just the right amount of overkill. ;-)

-- 
Florin Andrei
http://florin.myip.org/