Klarinet Archive - Posting 000809.txt from 1997/11

From: Jonathan Cohler <cohler@-----.net>
Subj: Re: Recording the Clarinet
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 21:11:14 -0500

>Nagra makes a 24 bit portable reel to reel digital recorder.
>An expensive professional tool that Hollywood may sometimes use.
>But I was reading in Mix magazine that even Hollywood, when using
>this machine would "back-up" onto analog in the field, presumably
>because much editing set-ups are analog. This article was a year
>or two ago; state of the art stuff changes rapidly.
> Would 24 bit allow a bigger sampling rate? Or is it only
>the speed of information passed?
> Rich Lahrson
> tripspud@-----.net

The number of bits in a sample determines the precision of the sample,
which in turn determines the possible dynamic range of the recording.

24-bit samples allow for 2^24 (or roughly 16 million) possible levels of
amplitude. Another way of stating this is that it allows for a range of
144dB, which is overkill.

However, since most information on computer systems is stored in bytes
(8-bits per byte), system designers find it more convenient quite often to
go from 16-bits directly to 24-bits and skip right over the more relevant
20-bits. But then there is, of course, the argument that if you want to
get full use of 20-bits, you should record in more than 20-bits and only
round down 20-bits in your final stage.

---------------------
Jonathan Cohler
cohler@-----.net