Hq Pc Recording

[stamp92]

Can anyone advise me on how I can make high quality recordings on my PC?

I currently use Nero's Wave Editor to record sound at 44100 Hz, 16bit. There is an option to increase the bit depth to 32bit or 24 hq mastering packed or unpacked. When i try and put the settings at this level it says unable to open recording device. Is this because I need a special soundcard or some special hardware to be able to use 32bit or 24bit hq mastering?

I don't know much abt recording. Does the bit rate affect the quality. Will a higher bit rate give me a better recording?

I am trying to record myself playing piano for a cd. My problem is that there is a hiss noise in the background. I have tried lowering the microphone input volume to minimum as this seems 2 improve the quality of recording. what is causing this hiss? is it the bit depth i am recording at. the microphone i am using (in the sense i need a special microphone) or do i need some special hardware. i want to be able 2 record to the level that professional cd's are recorded at or similar.

ne body got ne ideas or advice thanks

[timewarrior2001]

Can anyone advise me on how I can make high quality recordings on my PC?

I don't know much abt recording. Does the bit rate affect the quality. Will a
I currently use Nero's Wave Editor to record sound at 44100 Hz, 16bit. There is an option to increase the bit depth to 32bit or 24 hq mastering packed or unpacked. When i try and put the settings at this level it says unable to open recording device. Is this because I need a special soundcard or some special hardware to be able to use 32bit or 24bit hq mastering?
higher bit rate give me a better recording?

I am trying to record myself playing piano for a cd. My problem is that there is a hiss noise in the background. I have tried lowering the microphone input volume to minimum as this seems 2 improve the quality of recording. what is causing this hiss? is it the bit depth i am recording at. the microphone i am using (in the sense i need a special microphone) or do i need some special hardware. i want to be able 2 record to the level that professional cd's are recorded at or similar.

ne body got ne ideas or advice thanksHi stamp92, I came across a very similar problem with my band.
We wanted to use our PC's to record a CD. We all played live at first then decided that the results were crap.
We now use a 4 track system linked into the soundcards input. We are using an onboard soundcard and the results are amazing.
We downloaded then purchased a program called "N-track studio". Its really quite a powerfull package for the price (think it was around £40). The demo doesnt allow much usage but you can get a decent feel for the software.

You talk about 24 bit sound, and yes you need a 24 bit soundcard such as the Soundblaster audigy 2. Very expensive and to be honest I wouldnt upgrade just for 24 bit sound.
Make sure you have soundcard that can play and record at the same time (duplex I think its called). And a fast processor with a decent amount of ram, no less than 256Mb!!!!
Most songs once completed by N-track are in wave format, but you can easily use external progs to convert to whatever format you would like. N-track says it has a built in MP3 converter but we found it tries to download one and fails.

The hiss could be a poor quality mic. It may also be that the gain setting on the input are wrong. When recording you really want to keep the volume as low as possible we rarely move above halfway. Do some checks on the mic input volume, it shouldnt be hitting red, we try and stay in the green.

[Bifta]

Also don't forget that the Audigy 2 is primarily a gaming card and doesn't do true 24 bit using ASIO drivers, you'd need to purchase the Audigy 2 Platinum EX for that .. and that's a wedge of cash.

[paulyoung666]

@ stamp92 , is there any reason why you want such hq recordings ????????? , are you looking to tout it about ?????????????? , if you are looking to make hq recordings then you will be loooking at a lot of money , a lot of noise can be introduced from power supplys etc ------ paul :)

[keithwalton]

16 bit shouldnt cause noise thats being introduced somewhere in your system, be it psu / ground. tends to happen with analogue inputs.
The settings your using are equivelent to that of a cd.

If you wanted to make use of the higher bit depth 24bit (which is used on dvd audio) as others have said you'll need a high end sound card eg SB Audigy 2, (Ex / Platinum and above) M-audio revolution or high end terratec card (sorry i cant remember the name of them atm) You'll be looking at least £100 for the soundcard alone.

You mention the use of a microphone that is probably the source of your noise at present (picking up background em fields interfearing with it) That'll be another thing to look at changing / improving

K