Output sounds HORRIBLE!

Question

Hello all,I have been using a Zoom H4N Pro to capture audio, from interviews for radio to video VO.  Up until now all has been perfect, not a lot has to be done in post due to the high-quality of the zoom.  All the sudden when I put my most recent clip into Au, it sounds like garbage.  Sort of like I used a tape player from the 80s to record with no mic.  Checked my zoom and the raw recording and it's all good.  Definitely an Au issue, just wondering if I hit some setting or what??  does the sample rate matter that much?  I'm recording at 96/24 but I dont think that should matter.  Also, when I play my clip in Premiere it's fine.frustrating!BB

benb51924585 · Accepted Answer

benb51924585 wroteThanks for your response! I am importing into waveform view.. I shouldn't have to re-record at under 96k? Or do I? No, you don't have to re-record - but you can cut the saved file size in half by re-sampling it to 44.1k - there's a facility to do this under Edit>Convert Sample Type, and this one is independently rated as probably the best there is. You can leave the bit depth alone, and just alter the sample rate. There is always the possibility that this will fix your awful sound problem too; if the sound device you're playing through in the computer doesn't like it (or the OS doesn't), then it will potentially be playback-re-sampled by the OS and that's never a good thing to do. Try re-sampling and see if it makes a difference...Thanks very much for your help, Steve.I found my output to my headphones was only at 8000hz, thus causing the bad audio. I noticed when I loaded Au while I had a youtube video playing and it actually affected the quality of the youtube video which I thought was so strange.Oh well, fixed.Ben Bannow | Digital Media Manager

SteveG_AudioMasters_ · Answer

benb51924585 wrotedoes the sample rate matter that much? I'm recording at 96/24 but I dont think that should matter. Er yes, the sample rate matters quite a lot!For a start, you're wasting a lot of space on your Zoom recordings. The 24 part (the bit depth) is fine, but half of what you're recording at a 96k sample rate is nothing but noise; 44.1 or 48k is more than adequate for anything a Zoom can handle.Much more to the point though - how are you importing these files into Audition? Into Waveform view or Multi-track view? If you have a multi-track session set up at a ridiculously low sample rate setting and bit depth, then your files will be downsampled automatically when you insert them into the session, and yes they will sound crap!So what we really need here is more information...

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