Ableton Forum

As per Ableton manual, Live still uses 32 Bit audio engine in combination with 64 bit engine, which slightly degrades audio quality.

Cubase/Nuendo utilise proper full 64 Bit Double Precision Audio Engine to maintain the best possible quality.

Since with Logic Pro x 10.5/Studio One 5 etc more and more DAWs are using Live's session view concept.

Its time Ableton should step up and fill void for perfect the Mixing DAW.

Add so many requested features like more waveform drawing/comping/ unlimited return tracks, upgradation of current stock plugins like Linear EQ, dynamic EQ, better CPU handling etc.

Sonic wise I wish Ableton should consider true 64 Bit engine for next update.

harshv61 wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 09, 2020 8:10 pm

As per Ableton manual, Live still uses 32 Bit audio engine in combination with 64 bit engine, which slightly degrades audio quality.

Live uses 32-bit WORD SIZE, not "32 Bit audio engine". That's how many bits are used per sample.

The "audio engine", that is the actual mixing, is 64-bit double precision.

Hence, it doesn't degrade audio quality (compared with another 64-bit "engine").

pottering wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 11, 2020 1:50 am

harshv61 wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 09, 2020 8:10 pm

As per Ableton manual, Live still uses 32 Bit audio engine in combination with 64 bit engine, which slightly degrades audio quality.

Live uses 32-bit WORD SIZE, not "32 Bit audio engine". That's how many bits are used per sample.

The "audio engine", that is the actual mixing, is 64-bit double precision.

Hence, it doesn't degrade audio quality (compared with another 64-bit "engine").

I sometimes wish, people should read post properly before replying. I had mentioned about reference in Live's manual.

Here it is mentioned in Summing at single mix point tab:

Since version 7, Live uses double precision (64-bit) summing at all points where signals are
mixed, including Clip and return track inputs, the Master track and Racks. Mixing in Live is thus a
neutral operation for signals mixed at any single summing point. This is tested by loading pairs of
24-bit files (white noise and fixed-frequency sine waves and their phase-inverted complements),
adding the pairs together eight times and rendering the output as 32-bit files. All tests result in
perfect phase cancellation.
Please note that, while 64-bit summing is applied to each single mix point, Live‘s internal pro-
cessing is still done at 32-bit. Thus, signals that are mixed across multiple summing points may
still result in an extremely small amount of signal degradation.

can you post an example of the degradation

"Processing" refers to the internals of the audio effects, not "audio engine" (mixing).

Tracks, Sends, Master and Racks are neutral, audio effects are not .

Note that pretty much all audio interfaces are 24-bit.

wayfinder wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 11, 2020 1:34 pm

can you post an example of the degradation

It doesn't matter right? It's just not competitive anymore, Live suite's price tag is hefty so I think it's fair for users to expect it to run up to modern standaards.