Curtis:
Dithering is the process of adding noise to a signal to minimize
quantization noise. It makes very low level signals sound correct, as
opposed to squared. It is most useful when processing a file, or when
converting to a smaller sample size.
Rob Meredith
>>> curtis@xxxxxxxxxx 06/21/06 12:56PM >>>
Hi Rob, can you explain to me what, exactly, "dithering" means or
what it does? It is a term I do not understand and I hope you don't
mind taking a few seconds to throw out a few sentences as to what it
means. I've seen the term so often and forgotten to have it defined,
so often until now so if you wouldn't mind ... :)
Thank you!
Curtis Delzer
At 05:35 AM 6/21/2006, you wrote:
>Daveed:
>
>You likely don't need to use dither, and SR doesn't support it
anyway.
>If you are using a 16-bit sample size, you don't need to worry about
it.
>If you are using a 24-bit sample size and you need to go to 16 bits,
you
>may have to worry about it some day. For a news clip, I wouldn't
think
>of worrying about it.
>
>Ideally, you would never normalize. If all recordings were perfect,
>that is, the signal just touching 0dB, you would never have to
>normalize, and thus none of the problems with normalizing would
arise.
>
>In trooth, many people, including myself, normalize. Purists will
tell
>you that you are introducing noise from rounding, and all of this is
>true. But, it is so minimal, it really isn't a factor. What you don't
>want to do is continually play with the levels. For example, if you
need
>to increase a signal by 12 dB, you wouldn't want to use the Change
>Volume command 12 times, increasing by 1dB each time. Amateurs tend
to
>do things like this, and it drives me crazy. Of course, even if you
do
>something like this, you aren't likely to notice a difference.
>
>In digital audio, it is always better to rank level changes the
>following way:
>1. Do nothing
>2. Increase the level
>3. Decrease the level
>
>Decreasing is always worse, because it is the easiest way to
introduce
>quantization noise. This is opposite the analog world, where we are
>always told that decreasing is better than increasing.
>
>Rob Meredith
>
> >>> daveedm@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 06/20/06 10:51PM >>>
>I am a reporter, not a big techie! Dither, shmither! So when do I
>need to dither? I produce news stories, features and
>documentaries. I'm a bit stumped on how to apply, or even to apoply,
>so much of the heavy tech stuff. Now, I know about EQ, of course,
>and dynamic compression. I try to stay away from normalizing as much
>as possible. I find it sqeezes the sound and creates a certain
>sameness--I don't know all the technical terms here. When is it
>advisable to use normalizing? My main engineer discourages its use.
>
>--Daveed--
>At 01:19 PM 6/20/2006, you wrote:
>
> >Neal:
> >
> >No dithering yet. It's all rounding. So, you better normalize those
> >recordings with the quiet mics, or you'll be back to where you
>started
> >after converting.
> >
> >Rob Meredith
> >
> > >>> neal.ewers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx 06/20/06 04:09PM >>>
> >Rob, thanks again for some nice, new and useful features.
> >
> >One question. Are you using any dither or noise shaping to convert
> >from
> >24 bit to 16 bit? I also very much like the peak meter read out.
> >Nice
> >work.
> >
> >Neal
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: studiorecorder-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >[mailto:studiorecorder-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of ROB
>MEREDITH
> >Sent: Tuesday, June 20, 2006 1:43 PM
> >To: studiorecorder@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >Subject: [studiorecorder] New Exciting Beta Version
> >
> >
> >Yet another new feature graces Studio Recorder in this new beta
> >release.
> >Well, actually two new features, but one big one. Resampling Rules!
> >(I'll let you read the What's New file for the other feature.)
> >
> >Rob Meredith
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >--
> >No virus found in this incoming message.
> >Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
> >Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.9.2/370 - Release Date:
>6/20/2006
>
>
>--
>No virus found in this outgoing message.
>Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
>Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.9.2/370 - Release Date:
>6/20/2006
