Confused about "32-bit Mixing" shown (vs Session bit depth)

Report · Jan 31, 2020

Hi, I'm a bit confused as I realize that no matter what bit depth I choose for my Audition session, it always shows "32-bit Mixing" at the bottom next to the session sample rate. Should it not be showing 24-bit if I created a session at 24 bit depth?

Report · Jan 31, 2020

No, that's quite correct. There's a huge difference between the format that the mixer works in internally, and what bit depth a file is saved as. The only reason the mixing bit depth is listed at all is historical - Audition used to be capable of doing 16-bit integer mixes, but there was so much confusion caused when people did this and ended up wrecking files that a decision was made a long time back now to do all mixes internally as 32-bit Floating Point ones. These are essentially lossless when it comes to level changes, which integer ones most certainly aren't - you can lose a lot of bits very quickly with integer mixes! So essentially your final mixed output is streamed from the mixer as a 32-bit file, but there's nothing to stop you saving it in any format you like or need. Ideally it's good practice to store at least a copy of it as a 32-bit file, even if you don't necessarily need it at the time - that's the highest quality and most flexible file you'll have. If you are desperate, I can tell you why, but it's technical and essentially boring...

Report · Jan 31, 2020

Thanks for your reply - so if I understand correctly then, the 32-bit mixing is NOT the same as the file/session bit depth. It is built-in to Audition and is unchangeable. The fact that it is displayed is just because it's always been that way. Correct?

(personally, if all the above is correct, I feel like Adobe should just not even display it!)

This brings me to my 2nd question... I created a session in 24-bit. When I go to export the multitrack session, I'm not looking to do any conversion of bit-depth or sample rate, and by default it is set to Same as Source. However, everything in the menu is pre-populated to 32-bit, which is NOT the same as source. See screenshot...

I mean, at this point, I just want to export a 24-bit file (to match my session) as WAV and MP3.

Report · Feb 08, 2020

**bump**

Report · Feb 08, 2020

But it is the same as the source - the source is a 32-bit Floating Point mix. As I said before, the format of the files you used in the first place is irrelevant. If you want to export your mix as a 24-bit file, then you have to click on the Sample Type's 'Change' button and select 24-bit there. At which point your mix file will be exported as a 24-bit integer file.

There is no such thing as a 'file/session bit depth'. There is only a session bit depth (32-bit Floating Point) and no, you can't alter that. Eveything else, you have to specify. And the reason that at the bottom of the screen it says '32- bit mixing' is to remind you of that... 😉

Report · Feb 09, 2020

I'm sorry that its a bit hard for me to grasp. Yes, following your instructions I'm able to "Convert Sample Type" to 24-bit upon export but then what's the point of specifying that I want a 24-bit depth session at the very start when creating the session file? And why create templates for 24-bit or 16-bit if Audition will always see that "Same as Source" = 32-bit and I'll always have to convert at the end of my recording worklow?

Sounds to me like I will always have to "convert" bit depth when exporting?

(When I audition for VO, they often ask mp3 files that are 16-bit or 24-bit 44kHz).

Report · Sep 29, 2020

Ive got this exact same question! The same as source option seems totally pointless then following the above converstaion.