[Ardour-Users] Experience? Rework an external 44.1 KHz 16 bit recording

[Joe Hartley]

On Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:13:37 +0200
Ralf Mardorf <ralf.mardorf at alice-dsl.net> wrote:

> Furthermore the recording was done with a studio DAT recorder, but I was
> ordered to record at 44.1 KHz and to adjust the level until it reached 0
> dBfs or more ;).
   * * * snip * * *
> . . .I've got 3 options to export
> the music to Ardour, instead of using the analog IOs of the cards.
>
> 1. Using a CD ripper
> 2. Using S/PDIF of a CD player
> 3. Using a DAT recorder to convert anlog audio from a CD player to 48
> KHz S/PDIF

It's always best to get back to the original source.  Is the original
DAT no longer available to you?

If the CD is all you have available, then I'd use a ripper to take the 
WAVs from the CD.  You'll avoid a D/A/D conversion and end up with the same
bits in the WAV that are on the CD.

> Now I've got 3 questions.
> 
> 1. Did somebody note serious differences for a ripped WAV compared to
> S/PDIF FOC?

A "ripped" WAV is simply a copy of the binary digits on the CD.  Unless there's
a change in format (to MP3, for example), your file will be identical.  Any
other method will introduce extra digital->analog and analog->digital 
conversions, which can only degrade the signal.

> I wonder if it would be better to convert the 44.1 KHz recordings to 48
> KHz or 96 KHz, to be able to record the external reverb at 48 KHz or 96
> KHz or to keep 44.1 KHz?

Converting up to a higher bitrate can add digital artifacts and filtering
that can be detrimental, and gains you nothing; you're not going to be
able to add to what was originally captured.  The compression and reverb
is not going to have any more to work with in the upsampling.

Good luck with the project!

-- 
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       Joe Hartley - UNIX/network Consultant - jh at brainiac.com
 Without deviation from the norm, "progress" is not possible. - FZappa