[linux-audio-user] Linux music editor, greater than 32-bit ?

Brett W. McCoy idragosani at gmail.com
Thu Feb 22 15:42:10 EST 2007


On 2/22/07, Folderol <folderol at ukfsn.org> wrote:
> On Thu, 22 Feb 2007 13:48:04 -0600
> millward <millward at ms.umanitoba.ca> wrote:
>
> > I've got a sound card capable of 96 bits, ( M-Audio audiofile 24/96 )
> > but my sound editor, Audacity for Linux, only goes up to 32 bits.
> > Is there a sound editor for Linux that can do higher than 32 bits?
>
> Maybe I'm missing something here, but what on earth does anyone need
> such high resolution for?
>
> ISTR The humble CD is recorded at 18bit. which is over 200,000:1 and
> more than 100dB. The orchestral dynamic range is I believe quoted at
> 90dB. I accept some extra headroom is nice, and the calculations aren't
> quite so simple, but even 32bit comes out at mind boggling 200dB.

The higher bit rates (AFAIK) are used purely for recording and editing
within an application (Ardour uses 32-bit floating point WAV
internally, for instance), to keep a high precision of audio
resolution (similar to the HDRI resolutions used for 3D rendering).
You do have to ultimately downsample/downgrade to a lower resolution
for CDs and MP3s, of course.

-- Brett
------------------------------------------------------------
"In the rhythm of music a secret is hidden;
    If I were to divulge it, it would overturn the world."
               -- Jelaleddin Rumi



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