Re: [ARSCLIST] Digital File Specs and StoryCorps

[Eric Jacobs <EricJ@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Friday, February 01, 2008 4:11 PM, Richard L. Hess wrote:

> I just don't see the ROI on digitizing poorly recorded oral 
> histories [on cassette] at > 44.1 (or 48 depending on what 
> you want to standardize on). In fact IASA TC-04 does not 
> demand 96/24 but says something to the effect that some 
> recordings may benefit from higher sample rates.
>
> Because I'm paying for storage and the end result is a CD, 
> I'm recording some community projects all at 44.1/24 (stereo 
> or multitrack) and I've done some experiments at 96/24 and 
> don't find the improvement. I'm using a pair of DPA 4006 TLs 
> and a Sound Devices 722 for this...and/or a MOTU 828 MKII.

I just want to support Richard's position that 96/24 indeed
benefits discs.  But like Richard, I've not seen evidence 
(practical or theoretical) that this approach provides any 
benefit to the removal of broadband noise found on cassettes.
Broadband noise is just an altogether different phenomenon 
from the impulse noise (crackle, ticks and pops) found on discs.

What I think is important to note in Richard's comment is his
use of 24-bit recording - not 16-bit - for born digital.  The 
additional dynamic range from the 24-bit recording does make 
a difference in the sound quality.

A more interesting question is whether to use 24-bit or 16-bit
for transfer of poorly recorded oral histories on cassettes.
Certainly 24-bit makes a difference on recordings of music,
even those recorded poorly.  We always do 24-bit transfers,
even at 44.1/48 kHz SR.  Removal of environment noises in the
background of the recording will benefit from 24-bit.  Even
nuances in the speaker's voice will be more apparent at 24-bit.
However, if the recording is relatively free of background and
ambient noise, and the words are more important than the 
details of the speaker's voice, then 16-bit transfers can be
perfectly acceptable.


Eric Jacobs

The Audio Archive, Inc.
tel: 408.221.2128
fax: 408.549.9867
mailto:EricJ@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx