Ok here is the deal... I am working on this remix and I can barely even play the damn thing in Ableton Live because my computer is not powerful enough.
The question is: should I convert my 32bit 44.1KHz wav files into 320 kbps mp3s? Would I lose any significant quality even though when I rebounce the files, they'll be back at 32bit 44.1KHz.
Please note that the original sample files that were given in the pack were 320 kbps mp3s.
In my opinion I will undeniably lose some of the quality but on the other hand, even after deleting all of the unused samples my project files is over 2 Gb! My computer would be better off handling a lot less data.
I would appreciate your opinions on this matter> Remix is due 9th of November.
Originally posted by ponsshin
Please note that the original sample files that were given in the pack were 320 kbps mp3s.
Then that is the quality that they will always be, unless you downgrade them again.
Converting an MP3 back into a WAV does not increase the quality. Once you convert a sample into an MP3 the damage has been done, and you cannot "get back" the frequencies lost in the conversion by decoding the MP3. Whoever gave you the samples as MP3s has ensured that they will never be WAV-quality again.
Oct-23-2009 15:34
ponsshin
Trance free since 2007
Registered: May 2007
Location: London, UK
Re: Re: Should I convert my samples?
quote:
Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles
Then that is the quality that they will always be, unless you downgrade them again.
Converting an MP3 back into a WAV does not increase the quality. Once you convert a sample into an MP3 the damage has been done, and you cannot "get back" the frequencies lost in the conversion by decoding the MP3. Whoever gave you the samples as MP3s has ensured that they will never be WAV-quality again.
Yes but let's think of it this way:
1) you put your mp3 into ableton
2) you put tons of effects on it, freeze and flatten it
3) is it still as good as mp3 considering ableton's sound engine (32 bit and all the shizzle) has "worked" on it?
Originally posted by ponsshin
Yes but let's think of it this way:
1) you put your mp3 into ableton
2) you put tons of effects on it, freeze and flatten it
3) is it still as good as mp3 considering ableton's sound engine (32 bit and all the shizzle) has "worked" on it?
What do you mean "still as good?" Are you asking if Live "degrades" the audio in some way?
Oct-23-2009 15:46
ponsshin
Trance free since 2007
Registered: May 2007
Location: London, UK
Re: Re: Re: Re: Should I convert my samples?
quote:
Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles
What do you mean "still as good?" Are you asking if Live "degrades" the audio in some way?
Audio data is removed from the file in the process of MP3 conversion. You can never get that audio data back. Even if you put the MP3 in a DAW and render the arrangement as a WAV.
Oct-23-2009 15:51
ponsshin
Trance free since 2007
Registered: May 2007
Location: London, UK
quote:
Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles
Audio data is removed from the file in the process of MP3 conversion. You can never get that audio data back. Even if you put the MP3 in a DAW and render the arrangement as a WAV.
Here's another situation. You put a big reverb on a clap sound (which is mp3).
Is the reverb tail the same quality-wise in wav (directly off the DAW) as in mp3 (converted from wav off the DAW)?
I doubt it's exactly the same, but I seriously doubt that anyone could tell the difference just from the tail.
This is all kind of academic, most people would not be able to pick out an MP3 sample even if you just dropped it in without changing it at all. If you made a track where all the samples but one were WAV quality and asked me to pick out which element was from a 320 kbps MP3, I couldn't do it.
Oct-23-2009 16:12
ponsshin
Trance free since 2007
Registered: May 2007
Location: London, UK
Alright I'm gonna go with that and make a copy of the project using mp3s instead of wav.
Originally posted by evo8
When you drop mp3s into Live, Live automatically converts those mp3s to WAV in a temp cache folder, so your still gonna be using wav files anyway...