{"id":339,"date":"2008-03-20T09:31:52","date_gmt":"2008-03-20T17:31:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/benvesco.com\/tonemonster\/the-digital-age\/2008\/sample-rate-comparison\/"},"modified":"2008-05-08T06:52:17","modified_gmt":"2008-05-08T14:52:17","slug":"sample-rate-comparison","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.benvesco.com\/blog\/the-digital-age\/2008\/sample-rate-comparison\/","title":{"rendered":"High sample rates: Can you tell the difference? UPDATED!"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the spirit of my analogue vs. digital<\/a> article, it is time for another Mythbusters<\/em> style debunking session. Today we are going to explore the common misconception that higher sample rates equate to better sounding audio. There is no shortage of rhetoric by self-proclaimed internet experts<\/em> that by simple matter of dropping a faster processor into a digital unit that you’ll get better sound. This, they claim, is due to having the horsepower to run at higher sample rates. These experts<\/em> believe that higher sample rates will give better sound with no tweaking of the underlying algorithms. Is it true (and does it matter to the home recording studio owner)? <\/p>\n

Testing audio sample rate<\/h3>\n

My test includes three different audio tracks processed with the same plugin at four different sample rates. The input for each track is an analogue signal recorded at each tested sample rate. The input tracks are then processed at each target sample rate with the Gearbox<\/em> Plugin<\/em> from Line 6. Processed tracks are then rendered to variable bit rate mp3 files at 16-bit\/44.1k audio. My VBR settings are a minimum of 128kbps to a maximum of 320kbps. Why are the sound samples rendered to the common 44.1k sample rate? Because there is not a single major audio distribution channel available today (or in the forseeable future) that does not require you to supply audio at this resolution. From physical compact discs to iTunes, 16-bit\/44.1k audio is the order of the day. The VBR mp3 files I provide as sound samples are even of better fidelity than what you get on iTunes. Also, it doesn’t matter how great things sound in your home studio. The only thing that matters is how great it sounds once your audience is able to listen. When that audience listens, it is going to be at 16-bit\/44.1k. A large part of the high sample rate myth<\/em> is the claim that you should record at high sample rates even though you will downsample to 44.1k at the end. Experts<\/em> abroad claim this is because you will retain definition through the whole process that will lead to an audible improvement of fidelity after the downsampling.<\/p>\n

The sound samples<\/h3>\n

Here are the sound samples. I have provided sound samples of vocals, rhythm guitar, and lead guitar. Each of the three test tracks is processed at each of the four target sample rates. The sound samples are labeled as a, b, c, d,<\/em> but are not in any particular order (in other words, a<\/em> is not necessarily the lowest sample rate and d <\/em>is not necessarily the highest). All three samples use the same ordering of sample rates though (so if you think c<\/em> is the 192k sample rate on vocals, then c<\/em> is also the 192k sample rate on the two guitars).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
source<\/th>\nclip a<\/th>\nclip b<\/th>\nclip c<\/th>\nclip d<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Vocals<\/td>\nmp3<\/a> wav<\/a><\/td>\nmp3<\/a> wav<\/a><\/td>\nmp3<\/a> wav<\/a><\/td>\nmp3<\/a> wav<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rhythm guitar<\/td>\nmp3<\/a> wav<\/a><\/td>\nmp3<\/a> wav<\/a><\/td>\nmp3<\/a> wav<\/a><\/td>\nmp3<\/a> wav<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lead guitar<\/td>\nmp3<\/a> wav<\/a><\/td>\nmp3<\/a> wav<\/a><\/td>\nmp3<\/a> wav<\/a><\/td>\nmp3<\/a> wav<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Your task is to listen to the sound clips and decide for yourself which clip goes with which sample rate or if you can even tell the difference. Decide for yourself. Post here or email me at tonemonger@gmail.com<\/a> with your guesses. I will wait until I have 1000 responses before I post the results. I fully expect there will be no clear ability to determine which clips were processed at a high sample rate. The real winner will be you, armed with your own informed decision about how important a higher sample rate is to you<\/em> for your own home recording studio.<\/p>\n

Update<\/h3>\n

I have had 19% of the responses I am hoping to get on this. No one has yet been able to tell which used the “higher quality” algorithms. About half of you have missed the point entirely. Here are some clarifications and additional background on the argument.<\/p>\n