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...