32-bit Float

hey, i’m trying to understand the use of 32-bit in the sampleeditor. and rendering as well…

i use a MOTU traveler, and usually i run 24-bit (max) and 48khz with Renoise. I also noticed Wavelab supports 32-bit-float recording… but, erm, i don’t quite understand what 32 bit float actually does
i mean, i know it can offer more dynamics to a recording, but since the Traveler supports max 24-bit, why I am allowed to record 32bit-float in both Renoise and Wavelab? Am i wasting diskspace recording in 32bit, or is it actually making things sound better…? i don’t think my ears can tell, actually :unsure:

if someone could fill me in, i’d be happy! thanks

Well, 32bit generally made for keep the sample quality while you do effect processing more and more again, it keeps the sample out of huge losses at small volume and lowest bits information. If you don’t do much of effect processing with the sample you don’t need to keep it in 32bits then. But anyway, you won’t waste a lot of disk space with 32bits samples inside xrns, it compressed with flac by default.

32 bit float is 24-bit with 8 bit overhead for better impurity perfection.
Well, guess google can whip up a large list of hits that can deinfe 32-bit float for you or possibly Wikipedia as well.

as it has been already pointed out by Vvoois, 32 bit WAV actually have 24 bit of integer resolution (0…16,777,215) plus 8 bit of float resolution. This gives a big warranty that operations which do not clip data, will also keep the resolution unchanged.

So, mixing, amplifying, reverberating, fading, etc. are operations which is best to do in 32bit resolution

thanks guys.
so, keeping it 32-bit whenever possible is generally a good idea!
that’s all i need to know. :lol: (i’m not so good at these supertechnical aspects of audio)