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DAW export – 24bit, 16bit, mp3, or…? October 17, 2019

Ok, where’s the issue?

There are 2 kind of issues:

• exporting from DAW directly to 24bit or even 16bit wav files without dithering. Some engineers do that (actually that’s why this blog post…)!
• exporting from DAW directly to lossy encoded formats like AAC or MP3. Some artists receive only such from their producers or export by themselves that way…

What’s wrong with exporting directly to 24bit or 16bit?

Bear in mind that 24bit or 16bit audio is end-user format (well, to be precise 24bit is definitely ok for recording- a natural limitation of many A to D converters, but we discuss here a word-length reduction). So, if your audio is going to be:

• archived,
• processed any further, whether it’s mastering process or edits in the audio to be done later,

you want quality/transparency. You don’t want to introduce additional distortion, especially if it can be easily avoided.

It means that you should export at your DAW native word-length, usually 32bit or 64bit.
You can find such information in documentation of your DAW.
If your DAW uses 64bit word internally, it’s better to truncate to 32bits with dithering! Exporting in 64bit makes no sense.

If you truncate to 24 or 16bit (and actually it’s a default setting of some DAWs…), such a process must involve dithering!

Some say that dithering is not needed. They’re wrong. Why? You can find a blog post with sound samples (with truncation errors) about it right here.

So, dear recording and mixing engineer, just do it right!

What’s wrong with encoding directly to AAC or MP3?

• First of all, the resulted file contains lossy encoding artefacts- a distortion. Such a distortion gets more audible after mastering as everything in mastering gets bigger. It will be doubled when the file will go for streaming, as streaming services also use lossy encoding.
• It’s also worth to note that encoded file can have higher peak levels. It’s due to low-pass filtering (yes, it changes peak level – this is a Gibbs effect in action) involved within a process. If you will not be careful about peak levels, your audio might get limited by streaming service, so sound/dynamics can be changed on the fly that way! Be aware!

So, you really want non-lossy encoded file exported from DAW. Also for archiving purposes.

Btw. If for some reason you really need to export to lossy format- export at highest possible bitrate as an AAC not a MP3. AAC is superior to MP3!

So, dear producer! Always support your artists with a quality file.
Dear artist! Always ask for a quality file of your production.

So, this is it. Catch you later!

Pozdrawiam (Best)
Artur