Hi
The only difference between a WAV and an AIFF (other than the way
metadata is stored in the headers) is the BYTE ordering
Either most significant bit first MSB or least significant bit first
LSB. Translating between one format and the other has no effect on the
audible quality

And I totally agree with the concept that there is no point in making
digital flat transfer at greater sampling rate or bit depth than the
original
You cannot add anything to what is already there

Cheers
-pm 

-----Original Message-----
From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Richard L. Hess
Sent: Thu 21 Jan 2010 22:29
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] DAT Ripping

At 04:05 PM 2010-01-21, Corey Bailey wrote:

>There is mention of producing "Preservation Masters". From what fie 
>format? Are we suggesting batch converting to achieve preservation 
>master files? Batch converting can possibly open yet another can of 
>worms and will only produce a 16 bit fie.
>
>If one is to use this medium for preservation master archival, then I 
>would suggest digitizing in real time from the analog output of your 
>best D/A converter capturing a 24/96 Wav file.

Hi, Corey,

if the original DAT is 44.1 or 48 ks/s and 16 bits, why would you make a
preservation master at anything faster or deeper than this?

I am one of the few voices seriously questioning making 24/96 WAV files
from analog cassettes of oral history.

If you have a digital file, I think that it should be archived in its
original sample rate and bit depth. I think the IASA TC-04 book concurs,
but I didn't look it up.

Making a digital recording of the analog output of a DAT player imprints
the preservation master with the sonic signature of the playback DAT's
D-A converter. It is not the same as the original digital file.

There is no reason to store bits that weren't saved in the first place.

As to AIFF and WAV, they are the same PCM data in different wrappers,
no?

My software of choice, Samplitude, will read or save in either format. I
don't think you're interpolating or doing any form of conversion to the
data (except perhaps re-ordering it), but rather just rewriting headers
and other metadata during this conversion.

Cheers,

Richard


Richard L. Hess                   email: [log in to unmask]
Aurora, Ontario, Canada       (905) 713 6733     1-877-TAPE-FIX
Detailed contact information:
http://www.richardhess.com/tape/contact.htm
Quality tape transfers -- even from hard-to-play tapes. 

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