Jeremiah Moore wrote:
> I use the MK012s as an X-Y pair, in cardioid. It's designed to be
> quick to set up, and hand-holdable if desired.
>
> The main issue with greater than 16bit/48k in the field seems to be
> actually recording the data. There are good portable devices that
> will provide the signal. Laptop would do it of course, but far too
> cumbersome to set up and use in many situations. I think this will
> be changing soon. Already the professional market is there: Nagra,
> HHB portadrive, Aaton, Deva.
>
> As for the question of sample rate: I hear a greater quality
> increase with increased bit depth than I do with increased sample
> rate.
>
> Capturing more bits at the original source is best: in post
> production, you're going to be processing that signal, bringing the
> level up, maybe some compression, limiting, EQ. The more detailed
> information going in, and the more detail stored along the way, the
> more detail left over at the end of the process. 24bit converter
> being dithered to 16 bits and recorded that way can offer equivalent
> resolution to 18-bit or so, the experts say, and seem to have reasons
> to back that up.
Probably the more efficient way to do it is the way minidiscs do it.
They store the data with a offset. That preserves the 24 bit processing
they do right through the 16 bit recording format. Sony figured that one
out back before the first minidisc was sold, and made the minidisc
specification so it could handle it. It's one of the ways the CD disk
format was modified to make the minidisc format.
Unfortunately, the current minidiscs don't have methods of inputting 24
bit digital or output in 24 bit digital, their A/D and D/A's are 16 bit,
everything in between is effectively 24 bit. With only a fairly minor
modification to the design, the current minidiscs could be running a
form of 24 bit. Without changing the record length on the disk.
It's unfortunate that the commercial focus currently is far removed from
sound quality.
Walt
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