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Hello!

So, if I have understood right, using VDAT is not in any way better if you are recording dry un-processed audio signals coming from the ADAT or the analog ins, since the ADA converters of Pulsar are 24bit and not 32bit. But, VDAT captures exactly processed signals with effects or the pulsar synths since these run at 32bit fixed point sampledepth on the dsp and VDAT does not convert them in any way.
Ok, I have a couple of questions more in order to make everything clear in my mind.
Q1: Lets say that I want to record to disk some processed audio signal coming from Pulsar (so it is in 32bit fixed point) with the ASIO drivers in Cubase. If I choose a 24bit module then SFP will dither the 32bit down to 24bit and I will have lost 8bit of information. Now, if I choose a 32bit flt module what will SFP do? Will it dither it down again to 24bit? Then what information will be in the next 8bits?
Q2: How many steps has a 32bit recording? Isnt it 2^32? Does that differ if the 32bits are fixed or floating?
Q3: So more bits means more headroom...That means that if my signal is peaking at 0db for example in a 16bit recording then I will have the exact same quality in 24bit if my signal peaks at -48db?

Thank you

hi rodos,

you really should forget about all that bit tricks and arithmetic. It doesn't work that way.
You know that the A/D process is often symbolized as a virtual curve running along several points. The signal 'quality' depends more on the positioning of those points than their raw number. Because there will always be gaps an anti-alias filter is used to smooth the 'curve' appropriately.
The trick is to find the ideal position of the 'points' for both input and output - that's what makes a great converter.
Of course the process is less difficult by having more points available (higher samplerate), but not necessarily.
A higher bitrate (or depth) on a very simple converter doesn't sound as good as a lower one on a highly sophisticated design.
The same applies to software - think of the 'positioning' of the points. You don't hear the actual data points, you hear their deviation from the ideal curve as a kind of sound color or distortion, depending on quality.

cheers, Tom

Vst 32 can record 32 fixed too.

Ok, for those who have vdat, do a small test....


1-connect any audio src to both asio2 dest and vdat input.
2-record something, anything, in both vdat and your seq (sx, logic, whatever).

3- listen to both of them now, compare the recording from logic to the vdat one.

If you don't ear the huge difference in qualities, go get your ear check

The only multitrack recorder close to it is samplitude, according to my ear.

I don't know nothing about dither, samplerate, etc... But the difference is so huge, that the word 'recording' is a synonym of 'vdat' for me.

On 2003-05-11 06:02, alfonso wrote:
Vst 32 can record 32 fixed too.

Interesting!so SX can´t?
Did anyone compare vdat to VST 32 in 32 fixed?

Vdat manual availbile somewhere ? Cant find it.

VDAt manual comes w the regular SFP manual: SFP -> ? -> Manual -> Chapters -> Studio -> VDAT.