Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!wuarchive!rex!samsung!umich!umeecs!msi.umn.edu!cs.umn.edu!uc!shamash!timbuk!palm25!dpm
From: dpm@palm25.cray.com (Donald P. Maghrak)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: CD sound (was Re: For all you who want more advertizing)
Message-ID: <112348.26565@timbuk.cray.com>
Date: 25 Oct 90 17:33:12 GMT
References: <901023.160924.CDT.C503719@UMCVMB.MISSOURI.EDU> <1990Oct23.215703.1586@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> <1990Oct25.003358.24989@dg-rtp.dg.com>
Organization: Cray Research, Inc., Eagan, MN
Lines: 69

In article <1990Oct25.003358.24989@dg-rtp.dg.com> poirier@ellerbe.rtp.dg.com (Charles Poirier) writes:
>In article <1990Oct23.215703.1586@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> es1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Ethan Solomita) writes:
>>	It would be nice to have true CD quality audio from
>>Paula, but I REALLY think this should be low priority, for two
>>reasons: first, the Amiga's audio capabilities are already
>>excellent and compare quite favorably with CD sound with a good
>>digitizer.
>
>Eight bit sound is audibly noisy (to me).  Sound that rolls off at 7 KHz
>(with the filter on), sounds like it is coming from under a pillow.  Sound
>that rolls off at 14 KHz (with the filter off), is better, but it still
>sounds like it's coming from under a towel, while simultaneously wind
>whistles through a crack in a nearby window (aliasing).  I may have the
>
Some of the noise you hear from the Amiga is a function of the sampling rate.
Aliasing in the sample comes from low sampling rates.  The higher the sample
rate the higher the freq response (with a penalty of more memory usage). 8
bit samples have a small dynamic range (6db * 8 bits = 48db).  The noise floor
is much closer to the max (without software trix).  8 bit audio can provide
decent sound if one uses high sample rates (=>44khz) and software companding
techniques. You will NOT get CD quality sound with 8 bits.
>
>>Second, most people who really need professional
>>quality sound are using MIDI and get most of their sound from the
>>MIDI instruments.
>
>This statement may well be true, but it begs the question.  If Amiga *could*
>generate its own professional quality sampled sound (as I maintain it does
>not), more professionals would be using it that way!
>
I really doubt this.  Pro samplers already cost as much as an A2000 and can
range well into the $100k's.  The Ensoniq EPS-16 just released for ~$2500
gives a pro quite a bang for the buck (16 bit audio, 127 samples in use at a
time, 24 bit effects proccessing -16 bit out-, a sequencer, 21 voices, etc)  The
effects that are included are VERY important and would make a nice addition to
the amiga.  A pro is going to go for a dedicated unit for features like this.
>
>Most MIDI instruments don't let you record your own sampled sounds.
>The ones that do are (I'd guess) as much computer as instrument.  Sound
>sampling really belongs on a computer, where you already have lots of
>flexible resources for storing, processing, and editing the samples.  Why
>not do it in style?  
>
Yes, most samplers do allow sampling (even the casio sk-1 did).  I agree that
a computer is best for editing the samples though.  BTW, most samplers/synths
today are computers dedicated to producing sound.  The Amiga is great for
proccessing and creating samples but I'd rather play them from a dedicated
sampler where there were no corners cut in design (synclavier anyone).
>
>>	Besides, there are add-on boards you can buy.
>
I like this idea. Why not get an EPS 16 rack mount with 21 voices,fx,....
>
>The issue of whether to build-it-in or rely on add-ons is always an
>arguable point.  Though it would certainly add to the cost, IMHO it would
>be a great selling point to be able to advertise "Built-in CD-quality sound!"
>
I won't argue with this. 16 bit audio would be great,usefull but it wouldn't
meet the needs of a serious pro.  One point here is that 16 bit samples, sampled
at a 44khz rate will use a tremendous amount of memory.  Up to the point of
limiting other memory hungry programs from running at the same time.  If
Commodore gives us 16 bit dsps in the future, that would be great, but I'm
not too concerned if they don't.
>
>This is meant as food for thought, not flamage.  Really.
ditto, Really.
>
I speak for myself, not my employer -  so there!
Don Maghrak