If I am using a non-WLE8 dithering program in the Master slot of WLE8, say Ozone5, and I set it up for 24 bit dithering - and I DO NOT direct WLE8 to render a 24 bit file at the same time - it will produce a 32 bit floating file of a 24 bit dithered file.
Is this correct?
Other than making my choice in the render window, is there another way/dialog to tell WLE8 that I will be truncating the file from, say 32 bit, to 24 or 16 bit every time I render a file?
Thank you!
Yes, rendering in WL is one thing, saving a file is another - irrespective of which process goes before (either Ozone or other dithering). So you always have to make sure to either select file format during render, or when rendering in place, to save as the file format you want.
Thanks, Arjan. What about setting up Wavelab so that it automatically saves to a certain format? Is this possible?
Um…wait a second? When a dither a song to 24 bit in Cubase using mit+ in Ozone5, I can see that it is actually a 24 file via another program I have. It’s perfect, no oversamples. However, when I import it into WLE8, it shows up and I see that it is listed as a 24 bit file, yes, but as I play it, it shows up as a 32 bit file according to my bit sampler. So WLE8 works in a 32 bit domain? Well, does this mean that I have to dither a file that leaves WLE8 if I want it to be in 24 bit?
Or can I skip the dithering and just export it via my render selection of 24 bit, no dithering?
Hi,
Keep the highest resolution to the bitter(dither) end 
and if you don’t do any processing inside WL gain/level/volume etc
WL doesn’t do any 32-bit float processing behind your back
it’s easy to check with Bit Meter.
regards S-EH
In principle, yes; but the errors introduced by truncation at that level are so far below both audibility and any typical noise floor that it really doesn’t matter.
Paul
Thank both of you for those answers, Paul and S-EH. I really have been avoiding any dithering here because I just had the stock UV22 from Steinberg, thinking that eventually a master lab would deal with it. Well, I see it’s more productive to produce things as best as I can these days. Having purchased the Ozone5 plugin with it’s mbit+ dithering getting raves, I thought I would give things a go.
So now I understand things much better. Thanks again.
Heh, while I can’t say that I’ve noticed any problems with such truncuations, BKatz does, in his iTunes book, make a point of dithering when leaving 32 for 24, eg. when going out of WL to an analogue chain. Therefore, perhaps PG could add a “dither slot” for the External Gear plugin? It wouldn’t be needed if you only process through the chain, but if you do internal processing before going out, it would, at least in theory.
(He also raves about PT’s dithered mixer, I have no idea if it really matters, but would love to try it )
r,
j,