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Mike Rivers
 
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Default 16 bit vs 24 bit, 44.1khz vs 48 khz <-- please explain


In article writes:

So what has happened? Yes, we have increased out dynamic range by 6 dB
between the loudest and softest signals the system can represent. But
we have increased the resolution throughout the system: from a 6dB
increment to a 4 dB increment.

Continuing to a 3 bit system: dynamic range is 18 dB. Values are 0dB,
2.25 dB, 4.5 dB, etc. to 18 dB. Wth each additional bit the dynamic
range is increasing, but ALSO the resolution is increasing everywhere
in the system.


So your next question should be: "What do I HEAR that's different?"

A good way to answer that question is to listen to some very low bit
rate recordings. I know this sounds like blasphemy, but once you get
up to about 8 bits, you don't get the sense that you're increasing
resolution, you get the sense that you're reducing the background
noise level into which the signal disappears. So yes, your ears are
able to RESOLVE a lower level signal in the presence of noise because
the resolution down there is better.

However, on the practical side, since most of the music we listen to
today has a dynamic range of less than 10 dB and is played back well
above the system and ambient noise floor, you don't get much of a
chance to take advantage of the added resolution. Of course it doesn't
hurt to have it there (for the occasions where you actually can use
it) but I'll bet you could sell 8-bit pop music CDs today and nobody
would complain about the sound quality.




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