Topic: Mac Audio Midi Setup

Should I set Audio Midi Setup on Mac to 2 ch 32-bit Float or 2 ch 24-bit Integer? Also, do I set these settings on my Mac before I plug in my ADI-2 Pro fs r

Re: Mac Audio Midi Setup

Just set mine up today, don't think it matters when you change the setting in Audio Midi Setup. I'm still trying to figure out how to optimize the system for Apple Music (not having an Exclusive Mode). Some sources say to set to 176.4 and called it a day (will play higher rate samples 'native', will upsample 24/44.1 as required to no deleterious effect).

Would be curious to hear from other Apple Music users...

Re: Mac Audio Midi Setup

b407driver wrote:

Just set mine up today, don't think it matters when you change the setting in Audio Midi Setup. I'm still trying to figure out how to optimize the system for Apple Music (not having an Exclusive Mode). Some sources say to set to 176.4 and called it a day (will play higher rate samples 'native', will upsample 24/44.1 as required to no deleterious effect).

Would be curious to hear from other Apple Music users...

after some measurements, i have noticed that if the sample rate does not match the material in Apple Music, core audio intervenes and automatically up- or downsamples to match the audio device. The core audio downsampling algorithm is extremely poor and cuts out at 18khz. Unfortunately, depending on the material, you will have to keep changing the sampling rate if you do not want any loss of quality.

Re: Mac Audio Midi Setup

What about recording vinyl records? Do I set Audio Midi Setup to 32 bit Float or 24 bit Integer? Right now it's set to 32 bit Float, everything seems to sound ok

Re: Mac Audio Midi Setup

The recorded file can be bigger with 32 bit than with 24 bit, if you have enough storage...

M1-Sonoma, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue

6 (edited by ramses 2024-01-19 17:47:56)

Re: Mac Audio Midi Setup

The decision to record vinyl records in a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) with 24-bit or 32-bit float depends on various factors. In general, higher bit depths offer more dynamic range, theoretically leading to more accurate capture and playback of audio.

Here are some considerations:

Dynamic Range: 32-bit float provides an extremely wide dynamic range compared to 24-bit. This can be beneficial for minimizing distortions and providing more flexibility during post-processing.

Noise and Quantization
: In practice, it might be challenging to hear the difference in terms of noise and quantization between 24-bit and 32-bit float recordings, especially with high-quality vinyl recordings.

File Size: 32-bit files are larger than 24-bit files due to containing more information. If storage space is a concern, this could be a factor.

Processing Overhead: Processing 32-bit float data may require slightly more computational power in some DAWs, which could be a consideration for extensive editing.

Practical Application: If you're archiving vinyl records without extensive editing, 24-bit may be sufficient. If you plan on making significant edits, the additional dynamic range of 32-bit float could be advantageous.

It's important to note that most people may not perceive an audible difference between 24-bit and 32-bit float recordings, especially if the original recording isn't highly demanding. Therefore, practical testing and listening for differences before making a decision could be worthwhile.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

7 (edited by KaiS 2024-01-19 23:33:41)

Re: Mac Audio Midi Setup

To put the above into relation:

• Best Vinyl discs have a SNR / dynamic range of 70 dB at best, that only if you ignore rumble (SNR <40 dB!) and click noises from dust etc.

CD, 16 bit offers ca. 90 dB SNR with no constraints like above.

ADI-2 Pro‘s AD offers 123 dB SNR.

24 bit files store 144 dB dynamic range.

32 bit stores 192 dB dynamic range.

32 bit float stores 1528 dB dynamic range.

As the above dB figures are logarithmic, I converted to linear to more clearly show the difference:

  • Vinyl:                             3,200
    CD:                              32,000
    ADI-2:                     1,400,000
    24bit:                    16,000,000
    32bit:               4,000,000,000
    32bit float: 2,500,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,… (75 zeros in total!)

Which format would you choose to store the 1:3,200’s dynamic range of vinyl?

Practically, 16 bit (CD format) is more than enough for lossless storage, 24 bit already overkill.


What concerns more is sample rate.
Pure analog made Vinyl contains a frequency range of ca. 25-30 kHz with a soft rolloff.
To catch this range, 88.1 or 96 kHz sample rate is suggested.

Re: Mac Audio Midi Setup

+1 thanks

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13