24 Bit Files, Dither to 16 Bit for MPC?

Nerdy question, but it must be address for us MPC people in 2010--

I'm on production team, where they primarily use software and computer DAW's. When they send me stems to work on, they are always 24 bit files.

Here's the nerdy part-- I keep wondering if I should dither when converting the stems to 16 bit, for me to work on in the MPC.

Has anyone considered this?

I say yes to dithering if you're forced to convert it to 16 bit. My opinion isn't really scientific or nerdy, it's aural. Dither sounds better than quantization error, even if you won't really be able to hear either when just playing it back on the MPC. I'd rather add the random and subdued noise of dither than to drop off bits that cause distortion related to my music. May not be the most internet know-it-all nerd approach....but.

Don't believe me? Go take a reverb tail or decay of a sound in 24 bit resolution, convert that shit to 16 bit with and without dither...now bring them up into the audible range. The one truncated without dither sounds like digital wasp. I'd avoid noise shaping though, at least in your scenario...cause noise shaping over and over sounds ass eventually.

That's if you aren't using the MPC 4000. If you are, keep it 24 bit.

The above advice is spot on.

However, if you can avoid dither, don't use it.

Get a bit meter up in your DAW to find out just how many of the 24-Bits are actually being used. Less or equal to 18 and I wouldn't bother. 20 bits yes. By the way, it would be rare a system that actually affords you the full 24.

I recommend to normalize the 24bit files before you convert them to 16bit so you get the most out of the 16bits.
And yes. I would use dither too. I actually use it when I record vinyl to my PC. I record in 32float , kill pops or clicks (if their peak is higher than the music), normalize and then convert to 16bit with the following dither settings:

dither depth : 1bit
PDF: rectengular
Noise shaping(44,1kHz)

I use Adobe Audition 1.5

peace

Aright everyone thanks for the advice,, I'm impressed by the knowledge right here.

I'm gonna put some work into my dither techniques. I just downloaded SSL X-ism, which is a bit meter. Great tip. Will try it out this week.