MP3 Bits Question, please help!!!!

[MARK8888]

Hi,

I'm a musician. (at least im trying). I just recorded a song into a .WAV file using a recording program. I used dbPoweramp to convert it into mp3, no problem. Then, I changed my .WAV file from 16 to 24 bits, but when I try to convert it into a .WAV file using dbpower amp, dbpoweramp tells me that I lack the proper codecs to do it.
Is what I'm trying to do impossible, or is there a codec I need to download, or ??

To be honest with you all, I don't even know what a 'bit' is. I just noticed that the quality of the .WAV file was slightly better at 24 than 16 bits. When I tried to covert it to 32 bits though, it sounded horrible. I'm using an old computer so that might explain it .. ?

please help!! thanks a billion for any help you can provide.

[ChristinaS]

Re: MP3 Bits Question, please help!!!!

Hi,

I'm a musician. (at least im trying). I just recorded a song into a .WAV file using a recording program. I used dbPoweramp to convert it into mp3, no problem. Then, I changed my .WAV file from 16 to 24 bits, but when I try to convert it into a .WAV file using dbpower amp, dbpoweramp tells me that I lack the proper codecs to do it.
Is what I'm trying to do impossible, or is there a codec I need to download, or ??

To be honest with you all, I don't even know what a 'bit' is. I just noticed that the quality of the .WAV file was slightly better at 24 than 16 bits. When I tried to covert it to 32 bits though, it sounded horrible. I'm using an old computer so that might explain it .. ?

please help!! thanks a billion for any help you can provide.

OK, if I understand correctly you recorded your music to 24-bit wav and wanted to convert that to mp3, still keeping the 24-bit part. That's not possible since mp3's are only 16-bits or less.

Since your 24-bit wav is superior to 16-bit wav, by all means keep that so. When you convert to mp3 use the DSP effect (from PowerPack) to dither to 16-bits.

[adaywayne]

Re: MP3 Bits Question, please help!!!!

OK, if I understand correctly you recorded your music to 24-bit wav and wanted to convert that to mp3, still keeping the 24-bit part. That's not possible since mp3's are only 16-bits or less.

Since your 24-bit wav is superior to 16-bit wav, by all means keep that so. When you convert to mp3 use the DSP effect (from PowerPack) to dither to 16-bits.

I[COLOR=Navy] read Mark's post a little differently. In other words, he recorded a song into wave (presumably at the default 16-bit, 44100Hz, stereo......though he would have to confirm this) He then converted this wave file to mp3 (no bitrate settings given).

From there on it gets a little confusing. He says "I changed my wave file (presumably the original one) from 16-bits to 24-bits". I think he did this because he mistakenly thought this would give him a better quality audio. The next part of the sentence, "but when I tried to convert it into a wave file" leaves me completely lost. Perhaps Mark can post again to explain.

Incidentally, MP3 files do not (as I understand it) have bit-number formats such as 8-bit, 16-bit and so on. They simply have "bitrates" which are the number of "bits" per second.

For Mark's information a "bit" is a piece of computer information and can have only two values....1 or zero. A "byte" is a string of 8 bits. So the binary system number 11111111 has a decimal equivalent of 1+2+4+8+16+32+64+128 = 255. So, by taking 8-bit samples, one is restricted to a maximum of 255 pieces of real information (such as a letter of the alphabet, a punctuation mark etc).

Now if one goes to 16-bit format each sample taken can have a decimal number up to 1+2+4+8+16 +.........65536 = 131,327 different values. I'll leave someone else to do the 24 and 32-bit calculation!
[/COLOR]

[LtData]

Re: MP3 Bits Question, please help!!!!

Incidentally, MP3 files do not (as I understand it) have bit-number formats such as 8-bit, 16-bit and so on. They simply have "bitrates" which are the number of "bits" per second.

mp3 files are 16-bit, IIRC. The bitrate is the amount of data played per second (128kbps, 94kbps, etc.).

And making a 16-bit WAV file into a 24-bit WAV file does not result in improved quality.

[adaywayne]

Re: MP3 Bits Question, please help!!!!

mp3 files are 16-bit, IIRC. The bitrate is the amount of data played per second (128kbps, 94kbps, etc.).

And making a 16-bit WAV file into a 24-bit WAV file does not result in improved quality.

[COLOR=Navy] I always thought mp3 files were stored in frames which are datablocks with 32-bit headers. Anyway, it's certainly not important for this forum and I could be wrong. Regarding the other points, I agree. I think it is what both ChristinaS and I said.[/COLOR]