MP3 or Project setup issue?

Cubase
1

Hi,
I went to export a project out to MP3 format using Audio Mixdown and the bit depth was greyed out but showing 24 bit. I always thought I was using this in the past. So I did a little chekcing around and found the Project setting at 16 bit… errrr. I normaly use at least 24 bit there. At any rate is my issue with not being able up the bit resolution due to the project setting being set to 16 bit at the start? Or is this a limitation of MP3 version 1? I tried to use Wiki to look this up and did not find it there.

Any help would be great!

Thanks,
LB

2

HI,

I think the reason you’re seeing the bit depth field (and some other fields) displayed in grey is because you’ve selected the MP3 format. I say this for two reasons.

  1. I just went and set up several test projects in different configurations to try and replicate your issue and every time I select MP3 as the output format, a whole group of fields goes grey. By comparison they don’t do this with other output formats (regardless of the project and sample settings etc).

  2. Its my understanding is that the MP3 format is actually alien technology salvaged from a crashed spaceship in the 50s. All kidding aside, I know that the MP3 format does some whacky stuff like trying to ‘guess’ what you’re listening for and such. So I think that the encoding algorithm actually jumps around a lot? Probably why you can’t set a specific bit depth and such.

Its just a guess, but its semi-educated guess at least.

Hope this helps.

Walt

3

Well Walt thanks!

I know one thing is that if you record in 16 bit waves you are 16 bit and that is it. In fact I made a mistake in recording that low of bit depth. So it would seem natural that if you have 16 bit it greys out 24 bit in an MP3 as that is all it can do.

Now I have another question for Steiny. It would be nice to be able to set up project bit depth to a default of say 24 bit and or 32 bit float. Any way to do this other than templates?

LB

4

If you have High Quality checked, the bit depth will be greyed.

You set the Samplerate/ Bit Depth in Project Setup. If it switches to other, may be you’re using it for computer sounds, etc. and that’s what’s switching it.