So . . . in Sonar preferences, I have my Audio Driver bit depth set at 24 bit, and sample rate set to 96,000.
 
I look further in the Sonar preferences, and notice there are settings for "Audio Data - File Bit Depths"
- - -> my settings are:
Record Bit depth - 24
Render Bit depth - 32
Import Bit Depth - Original
 
My questions are about the Render Bit Depth setting.
Should I have it set at 32 bit, even though when I export to wave file it's going to be 24 bit ?
Is there an advantage to exporting wave at 32 bit, or just wasting my system resources ?
 
My end mastered product will be dithered down to 16 bit audio.
 
Is the Render Bit Depth setting merely for a clarity of listening advantage in Sonar, or does it just kick in when freezing plugins ?
I'm just not clear what the "render bit depth" setting is doing.
 
 

Leaving it at 32 bit does no harm whatsoever, the 24 bit file is just padded out with zeros.

Only apply dithering when reducing bit depth and ideally only reduce bit depth once in a project life it at all. i.e. when it's finally rendered down as a 16 bit file for CD.

HTH

Karl beat me to it. He must be suffering from sleep deprivation just like me 

Not so much sleep deprivation. I've just finished a project this week that I've been working on for several months so now have a load of time on my hands.

I'll be chogging up the board again now.....

There's nothing quite like finishing something off!

We've finished 2 recently, and another 2 just need vocals.

Finally, we're starting to see a bit of payback from adopting a scatter gun approach to song composition. We have about a dozen songs in the pipeline, all at various stages of composition/recording.

Can't wait to finish this bloody album though!

noynekker: export 32 bits if you're going to be using another program to modify the file, such as an MP3 encoder or and audio editor. Some older programs don't know what to do with 32-bit files, though, and will require 24-bit files.

Jonesey, FBB: I would like to hear more about this novel abstraction you call a "finished project". Is this something anyone can achieve?

Lol...bitflipper.

I did need someone breathing down my neck to finish mine. I've never managed one other than that.

Lol - the old Da Vinci quote springs to mind.

I think there comes a point where you run the danger of making things worse rather than better.
It's knowing when to stop, not that I'm  an expert 

bitflipper


noynekker: export 32 bits if you're going to be using another program to modify the file, such as an MP3 encoder or and audio editor. Some older programs don't know what to do with 32-bit files, though, and will require 24-bit files.

Jonesey, FBB: I would like to hear more about this novel abstraction you call a "finished project". Is this something anyone can achieve?

This "dithering","not dithering","only dither once in a projects life"!,is driving me bat s$%^.


In Preffs/Playback Recording,underneath "Driver Mode",where it says "Dithering",what DO YOU guys generally have it set to?

Also say you've recorded at 24 bit 48KHz,rendered to.wav 16bit 44.1-

"EDIT EDIT" I see MY ERROR!,I should NOT render a .wav to 16 bit 44.1,UNTIL after FINISHED MASTERING,in other/same words,leave "it" at 24/32-48/96KHz when mixing to a .wav for RE-IMPORTATION to Sonar,and NO NEED to dither until great sounding master is then to be destroyed,by reducing it to 16bit-44.1KHz for CD-internet.....SOLVED!!! yipeee!


[No need to read this dribble,written prior to"edit edit"]-and then "re-import as a new project to MASTER"[as you have NO OTHER software to master with,or the ones you have,are nowhere near as good,as re-importing back into Sonar!]shouldn't one set the "Preffs/AudioData"-"File bit Depths" to what your 16/44.1 .wav IS NOW?[or NOT?] 

How can I possibly keep dithering to "Once in a projects Life" when I'm Mastering in Sonar by re-importing an already dithered .wav,to only end up being rendered "again",once said project is ready for CD or Uploading[to soundcloud-which at least allows .wav files]??

I have tried setting "EVERYTHING along the way,to 16/44.1",so NO dithering,should be required,but I suffered greatly from,"gee this all sounds like crap now","I think I should go back to 24/96",and become TOTALLY lost as to how many times a project is being dithered or not.

Any hints,for such workflow[Recording in Sonar,then ReImporting for Mastering in Sonar]would be greatly appreciated. -EDIT: Forgetaboutit!! Unless you really really MUST!,or you more than likely,have a BETTER WAY!
Thanks
Bob

bobguitkillerleft

bitflipper


noynekker: export 32 bits if you're going to be using another program to modify the file, such as an MP3 encoder or and audio editor. Some older programs don't know what to do with 32-bit files, though, and will require 24-bit files.

Jonesey, FBB: I would like to hear more about this novel abstraction you call a "finished project". Is this something anyone can achieve?

This "dithering","not dithering","only dither once in a projects life"!,is driving me bat s$%^.


In Preffs/Playback Recording,underneath "Driver Mode",where it says "Dithering",what DO YOU guys generally have it set to?

Also say you've recorded at 24 bit 48KHz,rendered to.wav 16bit 44.1,and then "re-import as a new project to MASTER"[as you have NO OTHER software to master with,or the ones you have,are nowhere near as good,as re-importing back into Sonar!]shouldn't one set the "Preffs/AudioData"-"File bit Depths" to what your 16/44.1 .wav IS NOW?[or NOT?]

How can I possibly keep dithering to "Once in a projects Life" when I'm Mastering in Sonar by re-importing an already dithered .wav,to only end up being rendered "again",once said project is ready for CD or Uploading[to soundcloud-which at least allows .wav files]??

I have tried setting "EVERYTHING along the way,to 16/44.1",so NO dithering,should be required,but I suffered greatly from,"gee this all sounds like crap now","I think I should go back to 24/96",and become TOTALLY lost as to how many times a project is being dithered or not.

Any hints,for such workflow[Recording in Sonar,then ReImporting for Mastering in Sonar]would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Bob

If I'm not reducing bit depth I have dither set to none, if I am I use pow-r3.
 
When bit depth is reduced the missing bits get truncated or chopped off which introduces distortion, albeit at a low level. Very basically Dithering helps to mask this effect but still introduces some noise, just a more pleasant noise as well as filling out the missing or chopped off information.
 
The idea of only reduce bit depth once is to keep a project at the higher bit depth until you really have to reduce it. i.e. If you are mixing down a project at 24 bit with the intention to master later, export it at 24 bit with no dithering applied then re-open it in your mastering program at that bit depth. Then when you've finished mastering reduce the bit depth for CD or whatever and dither then.
 
Of course if your mastering program can't read 24 bit files then you'll need to dither at the export stage but once you've done it then don't then increase the bit depth then lower it again. 
 
"Mixing audio" by Roey  Izahki has an excellent explanation as well as audio examples of the differences that are boosted as the level lowers so you can hear first the truncation noise and then the dither noise on the dithered examples.
 
HTH