I have a strange issue – when I set my project's sample rate to 192kHz my sound gets odd and I can't use most of Waves plug-ins no more. So watch the video:
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3Have you checked the obvious things like what the maximum sample rate is that is supported by your plugins and your interface? What if you change the sample rate, save, then close and reopen Logic? What if you create a new session at 192 kHz before you put anything into the session?– Todd WilcoxCommented Jul 23, 2017 at 14:39
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@ToddWilcox Everything works on master bus. I'll try to change project's sample rate while it's empty.– Eugen ErayCommented Jul 23, 2017 at 14:48
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@ToddWilcox And I don't use extenal audio interfaces.– Eugen ErayCommented Jul 23, 2017 at 14:49
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1@KolobCanyon Pretty sure it's user error. If you're just using the internal sound on a computer, Logic is just going to automatically downsample it for you and you won't be able to record at a rate higher than the hardware supports.– Todd WilcoxCommented Jul 23, 2017 at 18:38
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2I see, it's not recorded audio, it's a virtual bass instrument. Why would you try to play back at 192 kHz on a system that doesn't support it?– Todd WilcoxCommented Jul 23, 2017 at 18:40
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2 Answers
Ok I got it. I set up a similar Logic session and tested different things.
Short answer: Your system doesn't have the processing power to support 192 kHz sample rate for the amp designer plugins. There might be other plugins that won't work either.
The way I figured this out is by changing the buffer size. Click on Logic Pro X -> Preferences -> Audio. Look for I/O Buffer Size. Increase this in steps and then playback with the Amp Designer on at 192 kHz. You should see the audio quality get slightly and slightly better. On my system, it never sounds good and if I set the maximum buffer size it says my system can't handle a buffer that big. If I set a smaller than default buffer size, the audio gets worse and eventually my system can't sync MIDI and audio any more.
Two points:
- There's really not much point at running at 192 kHz unless you're a professional working on a movie or video game - in which case you'd have a system that can support it.
- If you want to go above 48 kHz, you should really invest in a quality USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt audio interface that supports higher sample rates. That will help with buffer sizes also.
answered Jul 23, 2017 at 19:12
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I'm just trying to release my song into public. About audio interface: Focusrite Clarett 2Pre (that I have) does support a 192kHz sample rate (for recording). Using it everything sounds much better. Commented Jul 24, 2017 at 5:51
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1@EugenEray Ah I was confused because in an earlier comment you wrote that you weren't using an external interface. You're probably going to find that no one wants to take delivery of 192 kHz audio anyway, so at some point you'll have to downsample it. I wouldn't worry too much about anything higher than 96 kHz. Commented Jul 24, 2017 at 12:28
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“There's really not much point at running at 192 kHz” – indeed, and I'd extend this to even if you're a professional working on a movie or video game. The main benefit of sample rates >40kHz is that the AD-converters can operate with more liberal filtering, but high-grade ADs do that anyway and merely downsample the digital result before it enters the software in case 44.1 or 48 kHz is chosen, which is the same what will be done in mastering anyway. The only reason to keep the sample rate high during processing is to avoid aliasing in nonlinear effects (distortion, limiters)... Commented Jul 24, 2017 at 16:17
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...but unless you're completely wrecking the signal with distortion (in which case quality will hardly matter anyway), the headroom offered by 96 kHz should be plenty for everybody. And anyways most decent nonlinear effect plugins have an oversampled mode (or use higher-order ODE algorithms, which is generally more effective than any oversampling), so they don't need high DAW sample rates. — Here's a relevant rant by Monty from Xiph.org. Commented Jul 24, 2017 at 16:17
Ok, the problem was, that IK Multimedia MODO BASS doesn't support 192kHz sample rate (although it works) and all crackle comes from it. So I've gotta use some other synthesizer for bass guitar. Maybe Native Instruments KOMPLETTE 11 is worth trying.
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Yes. I'd be ready to bet you wouldn't be able to tell apart the final rendered results of 48 kHz and 192 kHz with these plugins. Commented Jul 24, 2017 at 16:25
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No it doesn't, except if you do some very highly nonlinear processing (and even then it's probably no issue, because everything will sound plain broken distorted anyway) or use badly-designed effects which are calculated with the assumption of an “infinite sample rate” (that often simplifies calculations, but this is just a matter of laziness on the designer's behalf). Anybody who claims that processing at >96 kHz has any intrinsic benefit had better back it up with some double-blind experiments. Commented Jul 25, 2017 at 9:11
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In case you're not so into DSP, here's an analogy: processing at 192 kHz is like quadroupling your car's fuel tank volume because there's a leak somewhere. That may, in a sense, solve a problem and increase the range, but it's totally inefficient and in principle tackles the issue at the wrong spot. Commented Jul 25, 2017 at 9:20