Buffer size affecting sound quality?

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RichardHiorns
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2010/03/10 18:35:53 (permalink)

Buffer size affecting sound quality?

I'm recording an album with a lot of tracks on each song, quite a few plugins and several vst instruments. I was using a sample rate of 128 all through the recording process but now that I'm into the processing/ mixing stage I've increased the buffer to 384 samples, due to the amount of pops and crackles. My question is: does this affect the quality of the sound? Should I put it back to 128 samples for the final mixdown?
Thanks in advance.

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    The Maillard Reaction
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    Re:Buffer size affecting sound quality? 2010/03/10 18:44:35 (permalink)
    quite the opposite.... as you have observed.

    most people track with a stripped down set of efx at a low buffer value and then purposely increase it, as you have, when they add effects that increase cpu load and latency.

    I usually track at 64 and 128 and always end up at 512 before the final mix export.

    best regards,
    mike




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    Guitarhacker
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    Re:Buffer size affecting sound quality? 2010/03/10 19:03:28 (permalink)
    Richard, the easiest thing you can do right off is to bounce ALL your VST instruments to audio tracks and freeze or remove the synths. Do the same thing with the plug in FX... if you are satisfied with the track's sound... bounce them and get the FX and VST's out or frozen.  This will reduce the heavy load on the CPU and that one thing alone might eliminate all the cracks and pops you are experiencing.

    This is something I routinely do on ALL my tracks and projects now. I was starting to experience the same issues you describe due to the heavy CPU intensive plugs I have been using....even with a fast computer and large memory..... bounce it to audio and the CPU load will be minimal

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    RichardHiorns
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    Re:Buffer size affecting sound quality? 2010/03/10 19:17:23 (permalink)
    Guitarhacker, I'm not getting any cracks and pops now that I've increased the buffer. I do usually apply the effects on audio tracks, but I like to keep them there until I'm certain I've got the right settings on the effect. I generally bounce the kick drum to audio so I can treat it independently (reverb on drums but not on kick etc) 
    I'm really just wondering if there's a reduction in sound quality with a higher buffer. The songs seemed to sound better a few days ago, before I changed the buffer. But that could be (and probably is) because I've spent so many hours having to listen to the tracks during editing :)

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    CJaysMusic
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    Re:Buffer size affecting sound quality? 2010/03/11 01:13:35 (permalink)
    ASIO buffers or WDM latency does Not effect sound qulaity. Yuo may get pops and clicks if your buffers are to low for your pc, but this does not effect soudn quality. It just intriduces artifatcs.

    yuo will hear the same qulaity if your ASIO buffer is at 256 or 2024. The buffers have nothing to do with sound quality. Thats not what those buffers do.
    Cj

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