Is it best to convert old (DVD) libraries to BFD3 format or download fresh?

BFD Expansion Packs General Discussion
1

I’ve just upgraded to BFD3. My current BFD2 library mostly consists of older packs which are DVD versions which are 24bit.

Is it best to convert them to BFD3 format (keeping the 24bit depth) or download the packs fresh from the LM? I’m assuming all fresh downloads from the LM now are 20bit.

Is there much of a difference audio quality wise?

What other pros and cons are there? Has the content changed at all between original DVD versions (plus updates) and the new BFD3 format?

Is there a noticeable difference in HD footprint or performance at lower latencies? I see that the BFD content appears to be about half the footprint of the BFD2 equivalent, but is that mostly because of the lossless compression or the bit depth reduction?

Any info/ advice appreciated!

2

Download fresh if you can. Just a lot easier on the whole.

No, downloads from LM are not 20bit. The only pack we ever experimented with 20bit was the BFD2 Core Library (before it became London Sessions) - there was a bit of backlash against it, so we never went any further with that idea.

So nothing we offer now is 20bit.

3

OK cool. I will continue downloading fresh versions then.

Thanks Drew.

4

One more thing Drew … I’ve just noticed the London pack (recently downloaded) is missing a cymbal. It’s the Zildjian “CrashRide K 20”.

When I loaded an old BFD2 kit (Ludwig Black Oyster) I got a missing kit piece warning. It’s not a scanning issue because it’s literally not there in the BFD3 content/ audio/ Zildjian folder which has 19 cymbals (sub folders).

The original BFD2 Zildjian folder (my old content) has 20 cymbals (sub folders), the same 19 plus the missing CrashRide K 20.

I ran through the folder structure of the BFD2 vs London content and that seems to be the only missing kit piece, apart from BFD2’s extra percussion and metronomes folders.

Is this a known issue?
I tried a forum search and couldn’t find anything.

5

I’m not certain, but I think I’ve read that there are a couple of kit pieces from BFD2 that didn’t get added to London. Maybe someone else can clarify.

6

There’s some percussion and 8bit kit content that wasn’t included (BFD3 core content already has some percussion).

Seems odd to not include that cymbal though, especially as it’s part of a kit and not just an ‘extra’.

7

Copy the complete BFD2 CrashRide K 20 Folder (located in BFD2 Audio Folder in the Zildjian Folder) into BFD3 London Sessions…Zildjian Folder.
In the the BFD3 Program Folder…Run the BFDLACTool…
Select the CrashRide K 20 Folder as both the Source…and the Destination…
Highlight the remove wav box…
When finished (takes a few seconds) you should have a much smaller folder size…(887mb to 461mb).
Rescan London Sessions…
Load the BFD2 Kit…
Should load without problem…

EDIT:
After comparing the 20K Ride and the 20K Crash Ride…
for the most part…they sound identical…use the same amount of Ram (few mb difference in size)…even the info and image are near identical…probably why it was taken out.

2 Likes
8

Thanks. That seems to have sorted it. You’re right it’s the same cymbal. Still, it’s good to have a spare!

9

They’re the same recordings. The original “CrashRide K 20” was a naming error and was fixed for the London Sessions pack.