XP/MOTU/Vegas - 24 bit produces 16 bit data!

zemlin wrote on 6/24/2002, 4:05 PM
Vegas Audio 2.0h
Windows XP
Motu 24i

I have vegas set to record 24 bit. It records and seems to be happy. Saves off the files. If I open the file with CoolEdit Pro, it says the WAV file is 24 bit format, yet if I zoom into near silence there are bits on the axis, bits near -90 dB, and bits near -84 dB - nothing in between.

If I record the same signal into Cool Edit and zoom into the same area there's a waveform there. You don't start seeing the visible steps in the data until down to the -150 dB range.

It seems that Vegas is storing 16 bit data in a 24 bit file format or something? How to I get actual 24 bit recordings?

Comments

zemlin wrote on 2/2/2003, 10:45 PM
Digging up an old on here - had been running on W2K SP3 with no problems. Switched my DAW to XP so I could get all 24 tracks and now I'm back to 16 bits again on Vegas Audio 2.0h. XP isn't supposed to have this problem! Anybody have any clues here?
Asus P4B266 MBD
Motu 24i
AFAIK all VEGAS settings are at 24 bits
Cool Edit still records 24 bits on this machine.
Geoff_Wood wrote on 2/3/2003, 1:02 AM
You have a signal to noise ration down to -150dB ?!!! I would expect -100dB to be a pretty solid noise floor, some something is very strange in CoolEdit. Got the very latest MOTU driver ? Got '24 bit' selected as default in Project Properties | Audio ?

geoff
zemlin wrote on 2/3/2003, 5:13 AM
"You have a signal to noise ration down to -150dB ?!!!"
uh - no. My noise floor on the MOTU unit alone is about -109 RMS, but the waveform passes through -150 if the data is 24 bit I can see points at that level. None of my other equipment is that quiet.

I have the latest MOTU driver and 24 bit is selected in project properties.

Another significant tidbit is that this is on a completely different computer than then one I had trouble with before. The first was a VIA-based dual PIII - this is an INTEL based ASUS P4B266 with a P4 1.8.
Geoff_Wood wrote on 2/3/2003, 6:42 PM
It shouldn't pass thru -150. The *theoretical* maximum is -144dB.

Sorry, doesn't solve your problem either way.

geoff
zemlin wrote on 2/3/2003, 8:12 PM
In my defense, in my original message in June, I said "-150 dB range"

Am I the only schmuck a MOTU PCI324 box and XP with Vegas? At the time of my first message I recall downloading and installing 3.0 and having the same issue.

FWIW I have sent an email to SF tech support, but I haven't heard back yet. A Vegas upgrade is NOT on my list of things to buy - and I have an "Open Mic Night" to record on Saturday. I'd REALLY like to have 24 bits to work with on that one.

If anyone uses a MOTU PCI324 box with XP, record your noise floor for about a fraction of a second and email the WAV file to kzemlin@cheap-tracks.com. I'd love to see if anyone else is having the same problem - even it it's with VV3.

ASIO and monitoring w/ effects in V4 might be enough to justify an upgrade - depending on the cost.
pwppch wrote on 2/3/2003, 9:00 PM
Could you send me a small file you recorded that shows this. (A sine wave would be great)

peterh@sonicfoundry.com

Thanks
Peter