What would you do?

[soundtrack2life]

I am working on a project were the drums were recorded in a "big" room and the remainder will be tracked in my project studio. Anyway I personally always record at 44.1/24. The Pro Tools session I received that I am bouncing the tracks out so I can use them in SAW were 44.1/16. I was kind of shocked because I though everyone now a days used 24 bit. Should I change the bit rate of these tracks so I can record the remainder of the tracks at 24 bit? And if I do so is this bad to do sound quality wise or just keep everything at 16 bit?? I value your opinion.
TIA
Joe

[Dave Labrecque]

I am working on a project were the drums were recorded in a "big" room and the remainder will be tracked in my project studio. Anyway I personally always record at 44.1/24. The Pro Tools session I received that I am bouncing the tracks out so I can use them in SAW were 44.1/16. I was kind of shocked because I though everyone now a days used 24 bit. Should I change the bit rate of these tracks so I can record the remainder of the tracks at 24 bit? And if I do so is this bad to do sound quality wise or just keep everything at 16 bit?? I value your opinion.
TIA
Joe

If you prefer 24 bit audio, do the rest of the recording at 24 bit. Set the SS MT to 24 bits. The drum tracks, of course, will remain at 16 bits, but there will be no bad fallout. Just drop those 16-bit sound files into your SS 24-bit session and carry on. :)

[soundtrack2life]

Is my thinking "old school" that it is best to keep everything at the same sample and bit rate within a project? Plus wouldn't this tax the SAW mix engine?
Joe

[UpTilDawn]

Saw handles the mixed bit rates with ease.
This mix of 24 bit and 16 bit happens to me all the time with no ill affects.

DanT

[Dave Labrecque]

Is my thinking "old school" that it is best to keep everything at the same sample and bit rate within a project? Plus wouldn't this tax the SAW mix engine?
Joe

This isn't a matter of opinion or personal preference. It's a technical question which has an easy answer. Keeping it all at 16 bit can only lessen the quality overall. Adding 24 bit material to the 16-bit drums can only improve the quality overall.

Of course, some would argue as to whether there would be a perceivable difference between the two results. ;)

Maybe you're thinking of sample rates. That's a different issue altogether. Resampling can change the sound. Increasing the bit depth in this way cannot.

[Bob L]

The 16 bit drum tracks will be processed live at 24 bits when you set the MT res to 24. From the moment you touch a fader or add eq or anything, the drum tracks will be handled at the 24 bit depth.

No need to even think about it.

Bob L

[soundtrack2life]

The 16 bit drum tracks will be processed live at 24 bits when you set the MT res to 24. From the moment you touch a fader or add eq or anything, the drum tracks will be handled at the 24 bit depth.

No need to even think about it.

Bob L

Thank you Bob and everyone! I will do just that. :)
Joe