Okay yet another question from me... As mentioned in this thread, I am archiving my records to MP3. I bought Sony Sound Forge 8 and when I record the audio, I save it to a WAV file.

My question is regarding the Sound Forge recording settings... I have a Sound Blaster Audigy 2 with a Pentium 4 with 1GB RAM. I want to record the best audio possible so I am going to do a CBR at 320 KBPS. So I need to record the best sounding WAV file before I can encode. Right now I have Sound Forge set at 16 Bit, 48,000 Hz, Joint Stereo. Is that the best? I don't think the Audigy 2 will suppot 24 Bit, will it?

Am I missing something else?

Cheers,
Keith

to assure best compatibility 44.1kHz would also be fine (48kHz is not wrong either).
it is probably unlikely that you would notice any difference in quality regarding samplerate and bitdepth from 44.1/48kHz, 16bit.
AFAIK the Audigy 2 has true 24bit support.

I get some sort of error in SF8 when I try 24 Bit (I am at work... will have to look when I get home).

So *assuming* I can get 24 Bit, what is the best option there... 24 Bit, 48,000 Hz (or 44.1 like you said for compatibility)?

-Keith

I don't think so: http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000387037132/

But maybe the Audigy2 ZS does...

I just checked... SF8 said that it did not support 24 Bit through L Analog Mix/R Analog Mix. ???

Isn't that article for the Audigy 1?

-Keith

AFAIK the benefits of higher resolutions are important for mastering and the like, it's not of big importance with subjective listening quality, i.e. you probably won't hear a difference.
so I would suggest go with 44.1kHz and 16bit.
as you plan to encode to MP3, another point is that some encoders are better tuned for this input (at least LAME is?). I don't know how it is with FhG, which SF probably uses.