Adobe Audition Recording/Saving

[lowlow42]

Hello, I'm sure a few may remember me as the one that bought all the new equipment for my home studio. Anyways, I just have a couple of questions.

When I playback all the tracks and things I've recorded inside of Adobe Audition, it sounds pretty good. But then when I save it as a .wav, it seems like it loses some quality. (Not much, but it sounds different) Why is this?

I have almost the same exact question when using Propellerhead's Reason 2.5. It sounds a certain way in the sequencer, and then it sounds differently when I save it. (I save at 44100 Hz and 16 bit, Although when I save as 96000 Hz, and 24 bit, the file is HUGE and I cannot play it back.)

I have an M-Audio Audiophile 24/96 soundcard.

I think maybe there are some kind of settings I'm not configuring prior to saving in both Audition and Reason.

Also, is there anyway in Adobe Audition to make all the tracks the volume I want them to be, without clipping. Almost like a compressor/limiter of some sort.

And another question... When I record lower than expected and raise the volume of 1 audio clip using the Normalize feature, does that make that recording lose quality? I wouldn't think so, but I just figure I'd ask.

Any help is GREATLY APPRECIATED!

[lowlow42]

...?

[gastorgrab]

Maybe your hardware can handle it, but can your OS?

http://www.dsp-worx.de/?n=4

[lowlow42]

But I run Windows XP Pro SP2, what was that link that you posted? What does that do?

[lowlow42]

Anyone?

[gastorgrab]

Sorry, that wasn't the link i intended, and i can't find the right one.

What i was trying to say is that Audition is made to correctly process the files of high resolution, but Windows DShow isn't necessarily the best way to play them back. I think you overwelmed DirectShow.

I was looking for a DirectShow filter that was created to allow this. I'll keep looking.

[SaSi]

When I playback all the tracks and things I've recorded inside of Adobe Audition, it sounds pretty good. But then when I save it as a .wav, it seems like it loses some quality. (Not much, but it sounds different) Why is this?

What settings are you using for the recording? What is the sample rate and sample resolution (kHz, bits)?

(I save at 44100 Hz and 16 bit, Although when I save as 96000 Hz, and 24 bit, the file is HUGE and I cannot play it back.)

I think maybe there are some kind of settings I'm not configuring prior to saving in both Audition and Reason.

When you save in uncompressed WAV format, you don't normally specify anything. Perhaps you are saving in encoded PCM format, which is compressed. Make sure you select Windows PCM format.

Also, is there anyway in Adobe Audition to make all the tracks the volume I want them to be, without clipping. Almost like a compressor/limiter of some sort.

See your next question . Really, whatever you record, after you are done with it, before you save it, normalize it at 98%. This will make every track have similar sound levels.

And another question... When I record lower than expected and raise the volume of 1 audio clip using the Normalize feature, does that make that recording lose quality? I wouldn't think so, but I just figure I'd ask.

Normalizing @ 98% will be the best - allow for some overshoot by playback equipment - and doesn't alter quality. Just multiplies every sample value by the appropriate value to make the "loudest" sample take the max possible value - before clipping.

[lowlow42]

Thanks for responding!

Well, in Audition I think I'm saving as 44100 HZ and 16 Bit (I guess that's default), but how do I switch it? As for Reason, I save at 44100 HZ and 16 Bit, because as I said, that's the only one that works. Reason doesn't give me the option of saving as uncompressed or compress Windows PCM format, it just saves as a .wav (although it does give me options for the frequency and bit). If I put the settings to 96000 HZ and 24 Bit, I cannot play it in any Media Players. Is there anyway to be able to play it, because I'm sure at those kind of settings, it sounds very good.

As for the normalizing feature in Audition, I usually put it to 99%, but I'll start using 98%. But I was curious to know if there was a "Compressor/Limiter" type feature for the Master Volume, instead of just each track. You know what I mean? Thanks again...

[SaSi]

There is a compressor/expander filter in Cool Edit Pro - guess Audition has it too, however I don't recommend you to use it in normal circumstances as it will alter the dynamic range of the audio.

I still cannot understand how you record and how you save.

When you start a new file to record, Audition should ask you what the format should be. This is where you select the sampling rate and sample size. After that, when you save to Windows PCM, there should not be any option as the file is saved unaltered.

Perhaps a user of Audition - rather than CoolEdit Pro - can shed some light here.

[Kurt S]

"Perhaps a user of Audition - rather than CoolEdit Pro - can shed some light here"

Audition and CEP have the exact same open and save settings. This part remains the same.

Try this. In Audition, go to Options, Device properties and in the drop down box, make sure your sound card is listed and not "Wave Mapper". This will make a slight difference in the sound quality. Thne listen to the wave in Audition and in another program. Do they sound the same now?

If you want to make all your files sound the same volume, then group wave normalize is what your want. It doesn't just find the peak of each file and normalize to that level but uses more of an RMS algorythm to match all the files to the same level. For this option, launch Audtition an go to Edit, Group Waveform Normalize. Add your files and follow the instructions.

[lowlow42]

Well, see... the thing that I do is: I open the program, and the tracks are all blank. I never actually make a "New" project. I just open it up and start recording. I guess I should start hitting "New". As for the Compressor/Limiter type function, where would I see it in Audition? Is it a plug-in?

Well, how about my problem with Reason? When I save as 96000 and 24 bit, I can't play it. Although when I drag that same ".wav" (instrumental/beat) file into Audition, it does play. But I'm thinking, if I save in Audition as 96000, then it will not play when I double click, but if I drop it (final mixdown) into Audition, it will play... Only problem is, I want to be able to hear my file in WMP.

[lowlow42]

Anything?

[SaSi]

Anything?

Hi!

Your kind of questions need me at home where my real systems are

Re-reading your last posting, you mentioned 24bit resolution. Is this correct? This is not a normal resolution for audio.

On the other hand, I converted a small wav file to 96kHz-32-bit and saved it to WAV with CoolEdit Pro. Played fine with both media player and WinAmp.

What I am thinking - if I remember correctly - is that CoolEdit Pro allowed me to record using sampling rates and resolution my audio card didn't support (back in the old days with a Soundblaster 64). I remember having problems with these files.

What kind of audio card do you use?

[lowlow42]

I use an M-Audio Audiophile 24/96. Let me try converting a wav to 96000khz to see if it even plays. (The sound quality won't change any right? Because from what I understand you can't just convert to a higher resolution from a lower resolution and try to get higher quality. Right?)

Another thought, maybe WinAmp plays BIG files and Windows Media doesn't???

[lowlow42]

Ok, I tried converting a .wav audio file that was originally 44100khz and 16 bit to a .wav that was 92000khz and 24 bit, and that played fine in Windows Media Player. Now... then I tried exporting a song from Reason and saved it as 96000khz and 24 bit. When I tried to play in Windows Media Player, I couldn't (in fact it gave me an error that said one or codecs were needed...). Ok then, hopefully you're still with me. I took that same file from Reason, that couldn't play, and converted that to 96000khz and 24 bit (the same settings) and all of a sudden... it plays.

Why wouldn't it play from the start?

[SaSi]

Possibly the original file was saved in a format that was incompatible with Media Player - remember the message about a missing codec?

Editing it and resaving it again, you might have saved it with as a raw PCM WAV file - so it played.

Just guessing here.

BTW, the audiophile audio card is well talked about, however 24bit is a bit off the beaten track.

Try capturing again a 1 minute track and save with the settings you use now. Try to play that with WMP.

[lowlow42]

With what, Reason or Audition? Because Audition never gives me the problem playing back what I've recorded or saved. Reason is the one that does not let me play back anything that is 96000 and 24 bit (whether it is 1 minute or 30 secs or however long I want it).

Audition will let me playback anything I save no matter what the resolution is...

But I noticed when I save a file from Reason that is 96000 and 24 bit (that cannot play), and then convert it to the same exact resolution using another program (dBpower AMP Music Converter), it will play. So I guess I am just curious to know why Reason can't save it as a playable file.

And I take it that if I save a project from Audition as 24 bit 96000hz, it will sound exactly the same as if I were playing it from the program itself. Because from what I understand, 24/96 will sound different from a file that is (default) 16/44100, right?

I hope I'm not confusing you...

[SaSi]

With what, Reason or Audition? Because Audition never gives me the problem playing back what I've recorded or saved. Reason is the one that does not let me play back anything that is 96000 and 24 bit (whether it is 1 minute or 30 secs or however long I want it).

Audition will let me playback anything I save no matter what the resolution is...

But I noticed when I save a file from Reason that is 96000 and 24 bit (that cannot play), and then convert it to the same exact resolution using another program (dBpower AMP Music Converter), it will play. So I guess I am just curious to know why Reason can't save it as a playable file.

And I take it that if I save a project from Audition as 24 bit 96000hz, it will sound exactly the same as if I were playing it from the program itself. Because from what I understand, 24/96 will sound different from a file that is (default) 16/44100, right?

I hope I'm not confusing you...

OK, I understand that now saving from Audition gives you files that are playable. In your first posting you mentioned having problems.

I don't know what Reason is (the program) If it gives you un-playble files, it's most likely that some settings in the save dialog must be changed. Perhaps someone aware of that program?

Regarding audio resolution and quality, it all goes back to how this audio was originally recorded and what type of playback equipment you have.

If you rip an Audio CD (44100/16) and convert it to 96/24 quality will not improve. It may even get worse, depending on the algorithm of the resampling. It's like resizing a HQ 320x240 video to 720x480 using nearest neigbour. It will get worse. Bicubic will be better.

Also, if you playback a 96/24 audio file with 44/16 audio card - if you can play that back at all - the s/w will have to downsample the audio to feed it to the audio card. So the original quality - if any - will be lost.

If you record a CD audio through analog connection at 96/24, don't expect a better quality than 44/16. The analog circuitry may even deteriorate it as well.

[lowlow42]

Alright, I see what you're saying. I think I pretty much understand why some things were playable and some were not. Anyhow, thanks for all of your help, I appreciate it alot!