Craig Breaden:
Bob, you may be right. Perhaps a comparison of free
(or bundled) softwares is in order to see how quality
of the output WAV varies.
This information could then be passed on to archives
who could use it.
Some time ago George Blood of Safe Sound Archive,
http://www.safesoundarchive.com/
spoke of comparision tests done on several software programs and
soundcards showing wide differences in the quality of the software and
its interaction with the soundcards.
I got the impression that this was told during an ARSC presentation.
He very generously offered the power point presentation from his speech
and it really was of great interest to me confirming my extectations of
simple programs.
Tested 6 different hardware paired with 7 different softwares.
George Blood:
3. The problems we found occur at staggeringly high rates -- above 85% of all files failed bit-level certification. And this rate occurs with so many combinations of hardware, software, drivers, operating systems, that finding the root cause is extremely difficult.
As always the DAW´s that cost sizable money, Sonic Solutions, was
perfect in all respects but the rest.........
I would suggest you contact him at http://www.safesoundarchive.com/
to get your copy of the power point presentation to learn part of what
he found out at cost to him.
When problems occur it _will_ cost you some way or the other that is for
sure in my experience.