32 or 64 bit

[pa28]

Pure academic question, is there any advantage apart from the 4gb RAM limit on 32 bit, quality wise, to recording (Cubase 8.5 Pro) using 64 bit version?

[Wonks]

No. It's all about addressing more memory. You may get better performance in 64-bit mode as you can pull twice as much data in per clock pulse, but only if the code is optimised to do so (not all is). But more RAM these days normally is a huge advantage in running a DAW, especially with large sample libraries. However the sound quality remains the same.

[pa28]

Thanks for that, you confirmed what I thought it might be. Only other problem I find is most of my lovely 32b plugs wont play ball with any kind of Bridge.

But not a major issue.

[RichardT]

Exactly.

In later versions (I’m not sure if it includes 8.5) Cubase added the ability to run the audio engine at 64 bit precision. That probably made no difference either in practice!

[James Perrett]

In later versions (I’m not sure if it includes 8.5) Cubase added the ability to run the audio engine at 64 bit precision. That probably made no difference either in practice!

In theory 32 bit floating point isn't quite precise enough for audio processing. That's why most audio processing engines use 64 bit floats or older hardware will use 48-56 bit integers.

[Hugh Robjohns]

As James says, there is a small theoretical benefit to 64 bit float which is basically to do with rounding errors. I doubt anyone would notice with real-world recorded audio, though, and all computers are 64-bit now anyway.

[RichardT]

That’s true - but many plugins that need that precision already convert incoming 32 bit signals to 64 bit for internal processing.

[sonics]

Cubase 8.5 was the last to include their bit bridge, so you can run the 64-bit version and 32-bit plugins. Which is what I'd recommend.

[Martin Walker]

Only other problem I find is most of my lovely 32b plugs wont play ball with any kind of Bridge.

I'm intrigued by this comment, as I've had no problems running any of my now comparatively rare 32-bit plug-ins within Reaper using its own integral bridging.

Can you give a couple of examples of specific plug-ins that won't run within Cubase 8.5 Pro?

[Drew Stephenson]

Reaper does seem to handle 32-bit plugins better than some (most?) other DAWs.

[pa28]

Even thouigh I have Amplitube 5, I like some of the sims in Amplitube 3, that wont load, neither do any Lexicon native reverbs, eTap2, or EMI TG 12412/12414 etc.

[Matt Houghton]

Reaper does seem to handle 32-bit plugins better than some (most?) other DAWs.

I gave up running 32-bit plug-ins in Cubase ages ago, but also in Reaper, as they sat in a separate Window that was handled differently from the rest, and that got really annoying! Dunno if that's changes since then, as I've not looked back...

[BJG145]

I still use jBridge occasionally and always found it reliable; you could try the demo.

[Drew Stephenson]

Reaper does seem to handle 32-bit plugins better than some (most?) other DAWs.

I gave up running 32-bit plug-ins in Cubase ages ago, but also in Reaper, as they sat in a separate Window that was handled differently from the rest, and that got really annoying! Dunno if that's changes since then, as I've not looked back...

It still launches in a separate window but doesn't seem to have any other different handling that I've noticed.

[James Perrett]

I gave up running 32-bit plug-ins in Cubase ages ago, but also in Reaper, as they sat in a separate Window that was handled differently from the rest, and that got really annoying! Dunno if that's changes since then, as I've not looked back...

With Reaper it depends on how you like to work. I often open plug-ins from the mixer so every plug-in opens in its own window and 32 bit plug-ins are no different. If you access plug-ins from the dialog box that opens when you click the FX button in the track control panel then you will notice a difference because 32 bit plug-ins still open in their own window and I can't see any way to change this in the preferences.

[N i g e l]

Cakewalk has/had bitbridge which for me was seamless [mag review~2010 suggests it was limited in the number of instantiations].
Stuff still works, so I guess its all still going on in the background.

I wish they would have a similar wrapper that could take 44.1/48K VSTs up to 96k, just for convienience.

[pa28]

Only other problem I find is most of my lovely 32b plugs wont play ball with any kind of Bridge.

I'm intrigued by this comment, as I've had no problems running any of my now comparatively rare 32-bit plug-ins within Reaper using its own integral bridging.

Can you give a couple of examples of specific plug-ins that won't run within Cubase 8.5 Pro?

Had a good look at my Cubase install and it seemed after a few years I had a few bits missing (not me my brain) so a repair of Cubase 8.5 re-installed the missing bridge and things seem to be stable at moment thanks for all help/comments.

[James Perrett]

I wish they would have a similar wrapper that could take 44.1/48K VSTs up to 96k, just for convienience.

I think you can guess what I'm going to say...

Try Reaper. They added this feature a few months ago. It can now resample up to 16X the original sample rate (though I've never felt the need to go higher than 2X).

[Martin Walker]

I wish they would have a similar wrapper that could take 44.1/48K VSTs up to 96k, just for convienience.

I think you can guess what I'm going to say...

Try Reaper. They added this feature a few months ago. It can now resample up to 16X the original sample rate (though I've never felt the need to go higher than 2X).

Like you, I'm using Reaper's x2 for most of the plug-ins that benefit from oversampling, but I do have two or three preamp/saturation plug-ins that ideally need x4 to minimise artefacts.