Sample rate question

[Sip]

If I change my sample rate to 48 instead of 44, am I going to notice a difference in quality? Will I experiance any probs if I do? Should I cange my sample rate???

Thanks

[jecahn]

Think of your sample rate like tape speed in "days of old." Better quality was achieved at higher speeds. If you think about it, it makes sense, the higher the speed, the "more tape" a signal would take up. Thus, increasing the quality. Same idea (almost) with sample rate. Higher sample rates are always going to sound better because your recording more information more frequently. There is probably a point of diminishing returns though.. We're already at 96khz. How much more can we go? Do we need the inevitable leap to 128kb? We already have the capability to record things that the human ear can't hear as it is. I'm sure others will chime in on this one. It seems to be an age old debate.

[Heavens to Betsy 2]

Jecahn laid down some good points.

44.1kHz does, technically, accomodate the highest range of human hearing (the Nyquist theory indirectly provides for a high frequency limit of 1/2 the sampling value, thus 44.1 sampling will allow for 22050kHz in actual playback fidelity). That's one reason why CD-quality was originally fixed there. The science of sound perception, however, is still in its infancy and higher sampling rates are suggested by some as taking advantage of ultrasonic frequencies that actually contribute aesthetically to a recording, even through downsampling for a CD-quality pressing.

I've done a few recordings at 96kHz and am torn as to whether the higher rate achieves any superior clarity and spaciousness that is worth the significantly greater demands on storage and throughput capabilities of your computer. 96kHz wav files are bulky and unwieldy.

48kHz is directly compatible with DAT in 16-bit so it can be useful in some situations. If you plan to convert to CD, however, an ineffective downsampling can be detrimental to sound quality; according to many, the translation from 48 to 44.1 is a little rocky. I don't notice any marked difference but others do. As far as downsampling to CD is concerned, the "safe" method is to record at 88.2kHz, a rate exactly twice that of your target. If I recall correctly, the downsampling time in CEP for 88.2-to-44.1 is quite faster than 96 or 48-to-44.1.

For noticeable, efficient quality improvements, try recording and editing at 44.1kHz/24-bits.