A couple of simple audio questions

[Neil B]

Help please -
Coming from a midi background, I'm only just getting into the audio side of things and I have a couple of simple, perhaps embarrasing questions.
1. If I have a WAV file (complete song) and using Cubase export it to MP3 format, do I need to keep an eye on any volume levels or does it simply copy to a different format?

2. For the sake of storage space for backups (yes I backup!) I'm planning to backup in MP3 format as opposed to WAV. If I then convert back to WAV for future uses, is there any degradation of quality?

3. Finally, Nestor & Chris Werner have asked me to post another couple of tracks in the Music Forum. Even in MP3 format, 2 of these are more than the 8Mb maximum suggested. Does it really matter if I go over the limit a time or two?

Thanks

[snoopy4ever]

On 2002-08-23 13:32, Neil B wrote:

1. If I have a WAV file (complete song) and using Cubase export it to MP3 format, do I need to keep an eye on any volume levels or does it simply copy to a different format?

2. For the sake of storage space for backups (yes I backup!) I'm planning to backup in MP3 format as opposed to WAV. If I then convert back to WAV for future uses, is there any degradation of quality?

3. Finally, Nestor & Chris Werner have asked me to post another couple of tracks in the Music Forum. Even in MP3 format, 2 of these are more than the 8Mb maximum suggested. Does it really matter if I go over the limit a time or two?

Thanks

R 1. It's just a format conversion .. you won't have to change any volume settings.

R 2. Yes.. you'll have degradation from the very first moment you convert wav to mp3.. and that's a problem if you want to convert mp3 back to wav later.

R 3. ????

Snoopy

[ChrisWerner]

3. Yes,proved by myself
you have to stay under 8MB or post it on an other server (if possible) and link it as remote URL, maybe you can try to export your music with a lower resolution than 128k/sec, you can easy do this in Cubase via the VST Master - Export Audio Button.
If your music is higher than 16bit be sure to use the UV22 Dithering for best sound quality.

Cheers

[Neil B]

Thanks for your help folks

[Havoc]

If you really have, try a format like 'shorten' for archive purpose. It takes only halve the space, but it is lossless. Don't know if it accepts all bitdepth/samplerate combinations. Much used along DAT users to archive and exchange recordings.

There is also 'monkey audio' that provides the same functionality.

[kimgr]

... and WinRAR 3.0
2:1 compression on audiofiles, and a hell of a good archiving tool for only $29.

Kim.

[marcuspocus]

I second you on WinRaR! My only compression tool for many years now!

[orbita]

2:1 that doesnt seem much good.

Winzip will turn a 7.4mb file into 1.7mb zip which is more than 4:1
Winrar does turns the same file into a 1.6mb rar which a bit better.
Winace goes even better and turns it into a 1.5mb file, almost 5:1 compression.

I'm surprised they don't do it even better.

[vascomusic]

Don't backup in mp3 format. Instead, use a 'lossless audio' codec/utility like LPAC (http://www.nue.tu-berlin.de/wer/liebchen/lpac.html).
It uses a .wav specific compression(differential)algorhythm which compresses much better than regular compression utilities such as WinZIP and WinRAR.

[garyb]

don't compress files.

[kimgr]

On 2002-08-27 10:20, orbita wrote:
2:1 that doesnt seem much good.
Winzip will turn a 7.4mb file into 1.7mb zip which is more than 4:1

Orbita, you've gotta cut down on those strange things you smoke
We're talking about compressing wave files here: Winzip can't compress wavefiles (very well), as it has no support for it. A 54MB wave compresses to 50MB on the "normal" setting"... That's 1,08:1 !!!

Kim.

[Neil B]

Thanks again for all the help folks. Looking at the options and arguments, I think I'll continue to copy the WAV files etc straight to CDRW's for the time being while I study the options. AT least ther'll be no degradation.