What effect does dithering have on the sound quality?

I have been lurking in this forum for a few weeks now - while trying to decide which MIDI/Audio software to purchase. I have read every post in this thread. Although this thread didn't provide much in the way of technical information (other threads definitely did) it is probably this thread that has been most influential in helping me to decide to purchase Sonar. I have played with the demo and found it very good but Cakewalk's support in general and Ron's patients and very clear (to most of the readers) technical (and unemotional) responses have been tremendous. For me, THAT is the most compelling reason that I have for deciding to go with Cakewalk.

I have been a user of CoolEdit Pro (now Adobe Audition) and just recently gotten into MIDI by way of "Band in a Box". I look forward to spending many hours of enjoyment with with Sonar. Music is now just a hobby for me but I am really enjoying all of this incredible technology that wasn't around when it was my livelihood.

Thanks to all of forum posters for all of the great information that they share in this forum.

Don

ORIGINAL: Ron Kuper [Cakewalk]

Am I to understand that when using Sonar 3, a +4db signal panned full right or left will have the same output level per channel if panned center? If this is the case, this is contrary to almost every analog or digital console I've ever worked on.

No, this is not the case. SONAR does the same thing as an analog console.

This is SONAR's pan law. P is pan parameter, which is a float ranging from 0-1. 0 means fully left, 1 means fully right:
Gain(L) = cos(P*{pi}/2) * sqrt(2)
Gain(R) = sin(P*{pi}/2) * sqrt(2)

Since sin^2(x) + cos^2(x) = 1, this forumula yields constant power. Left or right panned signals will be 3dB louder than center panned signals.

The extra sqrt(2) factor is to ensure that a center panned signal yields 0dB of gain. In other words, Nuendo achieves constant power by "dipping" the center channel, and using unity gain for left/right. SONAR achieves constant power by keeping unity gain for the center and boosting left/right.

Excellent, Ron. Thank you for the explanation.

Ken

ORIGINAL: SteveD

ORIGINAL: don4777

I have been lurking in this forum for a few weeks now - while trying to decide which MIDI/Audio software to purchase. I have read every post in this thread. Although this thread didn't provide much in the way of technical information (other threads definitely did) it is probably this thread that has been most influential in helping me to decide to purchase Sonar. I have played with the demo and found it very good but Cakewalk's support in general and Ron's patients and very clear (to most of the readers) technical (and unemotional) responses have been tremendous. For me, THAT is the most compelling reason that I have for deciding to go with Cakewalk.

I have been a user of CoolEdit Pro (now Adobe Audition) and just recently gotten into MIDI by way of "Band in a Box". I look forward to spending many hours of enjoyment with with Sonar. Music is now just a hobby for me but I am really enjoying all of this incredible technology that wasn't around when it was my livelihood.

Thanks to all of forum posters for all of the great information that they share in this forum.

Don

Welcome Don.

You've made a good choice for ALL the right reasons.

Agreed Steve.

Don, very refreshing to find someone willing to see the forest for all the trees. You have, in my mind, exactly nailed and discerned through 18 pages the importance and relevance of this thread.

That forest of 18 pages also finally revealed the tree that is Cakewalk, and Ron, and all the great technical support and information given on this form.

Fortunately for us that tree is a strong and sturdy oak.

Thanks to all

ORIGINAL: Ron Kuper [Cakewalk]
This is SONAR's pan law. P is pan parameter, which is a float ranging from 0-1. 0 means fully left, 1 means fully right:
Gain(L) = cos(P*{pi}/2) * sqrt(2)
Gain(R) = sin(P*{pi}/2) * sqrt(2)

Ron, thank you for sharing this. Now I know exactly what happens when I set the pan (well, for mono sources at least). If it were even possible after your excellent track record up to now, you have further increased my appreciation of you and your team.

BTW, I can get along with this pan law very nicely. If you add any others, please make this the default. (I feel no need for others, though.)

Why is it that no mater what forum you go to none of this crap goes on.
On this forum (thou shall not criticise cakewalk) nor voice an opinion.
To me, thats a sad day, when on a so called music forum all you get is a bunch of schoolboys only interested in grammer and spelling lessons and spend all their time patronising Ron Kuper and Cakewalk. To the simple onlooker on this forum it has to be very embarassing to say the least.
I have been insulted,,, my family has even been insulted,,,, i'm supposed to be banned, banned for what, voicing an opinion? What a load of crap. But really, since you asked for it, I blame Cake for all this because they should have stopped it since this very suspicious crusade against one person should not be tolerated.

Where are all the forum rules, bad mouths, ignorance etc.
Since you also asked for it a very well respected gentleman came into my studio this morning with a very interesting statistic. Where I come from, there's about 300 working studios, 200 of them are using pro tools,or logic, 40 of them are on nuendo/cubase, 40 of them are on digital preformer, and the rest,including me, is..... need i go on. Yourselves and cake deserve this, because i dont give a damn, since its a free world and everybody is entitled to their opinion. The only thing I got from you and cake as an answer to a very serious issue, was nothing but insults and a stupid panning law issue holding face and nothing at all to do with what I presented. Need I go on. Try telling that to a client with 40000 pounds budjet for an album. I know that im wasting my time here since its all one sided and beyond yourselves or cakewalk to come straight on this, so i have to consider whether to move with the rest or fail. Unless of course this issue is addressed properely.
Im gone! Good luck


Shea

The guy obvious doesn't read what he types. So much hypocrisy in his posts, it's ridiculous...

Shea, once again, how is your issue going to be solved if you don't present the proper information/evidence? You're walking/talking circles around yourself.

-Alex

And different <> better .

ORIGINAL: stratton

Hey Moniker, is that you in the picture? Where did you find that cool see-through computer chair?

Ken

Yup, that's me. A very young friend saw me that way and drew what he saw. Luckily my minds eye contains a similar picture so I adopted the tyke's drawing as my company logo. It shows that I have nothing to hide!

All the best,
Moniker

P.S. That's a piano, not a 'puter.

Im gone!

Do drop us a line from time to time, dear, and keep us informed on how your studio is doing. Best wishes.

All right then. Now that thats all cleared up, anyone for a dip in the pool.

Sea what i mean Music?????????

I think Ill hang around till im banned this is funny.

I think Ill hang around till im banned this is funny.

Anyone suprised that shea didn't leave like he said he would??

ORIGINAL: ebinary
Anyone suprised that shea didn't leave like he said he would??

given that he's now gone 18 pages without a coherent, consistent, or informative post... um, no.

Cheers.

15 minutes are up goofy...and every single one of em wasted on us in here....ha ha ha ha ha ha ha h ah aha ...........now run along.
6strings