Export at a Bit Rate vs Resample

[Rich_O]

As I learn how to use it, I'm becoming very impressed with Audacity.

As usual, I want to make sure I'm doing this right.

I have a wav file what were recorded as 44.1k, 32-bit. The file sizes are correct for this bit-rate and bit-depth.

I export the file a at 16-bit and the file size is half which is correct.

When I import this 16 bit file, the label in the track window still says 32-bit float. What is the label telling me? Should I re-sample instead?

Rich

[kozikowski]

Welcome to the schizophrenic nature of Audacity. Audacity will import music at whichever is higher, the specification of the actual file, or the specification of Audacity Preferences. Audacity comes out of the box 32 bit and tries to convert everything to that.

Audacity has no reliable INFO tools. You will never know exactly what you have at any one time. It's a feature request.

By the way, Audacity does not use 32-bit. It uses 32-bit floating which is a more robust and wide-range specification. Among other handy tricks, it allows sound volume levels to exceed maximum, odd as that may appear.

Before you get all excited about all this, you also need to know that Audacity isn't a sound editor. It's an Editorial Production Environment Manager. It's job is to manage the overall show, not byte by byte management of each song. Audacity will not Save a sound file.

Koz

[Rich_O]

I'm not sure what you mean by "save a sound file".

I guess it's up to me do develop consistent practices vis-a-vis 16 vs 32 bit files, etc. Add to that, it has been unusually elusive to find any real information about the sound card built into my computer. It says Real Tech High Definition etc, and there's some stuff about 5.1 or 7.1 surround or something and it's 1080P with an HDMI output. But I think for what I'm doing, it really boils down to 16-bit stereo....and all I need for this project is mono besides. It seems to me that it's unlikely that it's a 32-bit or even a 24-bit card.

My real concerns are that I'm space-efficient and not doing a bunch of needless and senseless conversions that will degrade the sound.

If I truly only have 16-bit data, then I'll stick with 16-bit all the way through my process. Anybody know of a utility that can tell what's really in a sound file?

Rich

[waxcylinder]

Fore all my LP transcriptions and FM broadcast captures I work with Audacity set at 44.1kHz 32-bit float (to give me good headroom for editing - Update: I've just noticed Steve's response to your other psoting which endorses this).

On Export of production files I use Export to downsample to 16-bit WAVs 44.1kHz - I use triangular dithereing.

WC

[Rich_O]

Among other handy tricks, it allows sound volume levels to exceed maximum, odd as that may appear.
Koz

....our amps go to eleven....that makes them one louder doesn't it!

[kozikowski]

I wonder if they do that just to make the producers happy. The engineers know better. "Yeah, that's nice. We'll turn it up to 11." I actually had a producer urge me, after much messing with the equalizer, to "boost all the frequencies."

I mean Audacity will not Save a sound file. Try it. Audacity saves "Projects" for internal use. They don't open anywhere else. You can get a real sound file after you complete editing by Exporting one. And if you need to Export an MP3, you need to add the 'lame' software package. Audacity can not natively Export MP3s due to licensing problems. Audacity is free, MP3 isn't.

http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/MP3

Koz

[Rich_O]

Yes, the "Spinal Tap" of Editorial Production Environment Managers.

Understand about projects. I actually haven't been using projects at all. I just use other uncompressed formats....wav (32-bit float) each time to save my work. I'm only working with a single mono track. I suppose I would need to use an Audacity Project for intermediate saves on a multi-track project.

[kozikowski]

If I truly only have 16-bit data, then I'll stick with 16-bit all the way through my process. Anybody know of a utility that can tell what's really in a sound file?

On a Mac or Windows, Quicktime Info will give you the laundry list of what it thinks is in the file. On plain Windows, you can right-click the file > Properties > Advanced. This still might not give you the actual filename because Windows likes to hide those. You can force Windows to open up a bit.

Hidden File Extensions
-- Start > My Computer > Tools > Folder Options > View > [ ] Hide Extensions for Known File Types (deselect)
-- Apply (to this folder) or Apply to All Folders
-- OK

Suddenly "MyTerrificMusic" turns into "MyTerrificMusic.wav"


Yes, it's perfectly true that the sound on a Music CD is 44100, 16-bit, Stereo and uncompressed sound on a DVD or broadcast is 48000, 16-bit, Stereo, you might not want to produce the work in either of those.

If you need filtering, processing, or sound management, 32-floating is better because even though it's all digital, sound does degenerate slightly when you add, for one example, Vinyl Pop Filtering, or Equalization, or Loudness Compression. It degenerates far less in 32-floating than plain 16-bit.

After you get finished with your processing and cleaning, you can export your music at 16-bit for burning and archive. You can export it at 32 as well, but they don't sound any different and 32 takes up much more room. You can try and skip a step and see if your CD burning software will accept 32-floating. Some do. Mine won't.

Koz

[kozikowski]

suppose I would need to use an Audacity Project for intermediate saves on a multi-track project.

I haven't actually tried this, but as a group, the elves have been telling people they can export multi-track WAV files. Projects will certainly do this. You need to know that Projects do not retain UNDO. Save your projects often during editing.

Koz

[steve]

the "Spinal Tap" of Editorial Production Environment Managers.

Anybody know of a utility that can tell what's really in a sound file?

For Windows there is SUPER by erightsoft.
Downloading SUPER is a jungle of links, but when you eventually get the program it is quirky, but very good (free) media format converter that can also give detailed information about the internal format of media files. Don't be tempted to download it from anywhere other than the official erightsoft website or you will probably not end up with the real McCoy.