Pro Tools/Ozone Dithering Issue

[Fox Mulder]

From the Avid Forum:

bradswan1
02-11-2011, 10:44 AM
Pro Tools automatically dithers when exporting files to a lower bit depth.

Pro Tools does not automatically dither when bouncing to a lower bit depth.

If you put a dither plugin on the master fader and then bounce, your output is being dithered.

Don't worry, be happy.

OK, so that's why I leave the bounce setting at 24 and assume the dithering is done at the Master where my Sonnox is set to dither to 16 bits. I'm still confused as to whether it matters what my bit depth is in the first bounce to disk window. To me, it makes sense to leave the project at 24, and convert after the bounce at 16. ????

I'm overwhelmed.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Don't be, this was discussed just yesterday: http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/9871382-post18.html

Page 1060 in the Pro Tools 9 manual. To make it short: Bounce to disk and select a lower bit depth for the resulting file, it just truncates the file without dithering. Insert a dithering plugin in the last slot of your 2bus and bounce to disk from there to a lower bit depth, you get a dithered file.

Also, the last quoted sentence is just stupid, since what you get is a 24bit file with added dither noise. Dithering should be applied just before lowering the bit depth.

 

[Fox Mulder]

^ Thanks dude. I wonder if it's the same case for 7.4 cs3. I'm still with that, haha

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

^ Thanks dude. I wonder if it's the same case for 7.4 cs3. I'm still with that, haha

It should be. According to Avid's knowledge database, only 7.3 had a flaw that resulted in automatic dithering. Check these KB articles:

http://avid.custkb.com/avid/app/sel...munity10=368&ssdFilter_SearchKeyWord=&Hilite=
http://avid.custkb.com/avid/app/sel...munity10=368&ssdFilter_SearchKeyWord=&Hilite=