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There are numerous discussions about whether 16 bit is audibly
different from 24 bit. Meyer and Moran suggest it isnt[1] but this
paper has come in for a lot of criticism. I got to thinking thusly, 24
bits gives you a theoretical 144db (I think) of dynamic range and thus
allows a tremendous power of discrimination between levels so for
instance take

110000000000000000000001
and
110000000000000000000010

could anyone human tell the difference ? and would the difference be
subjectively different from...

1100000000000001
and
1100000000000010

can existing audio kit amp/speakers even render the difference
between

110000000000000000000001
and
110000000000000000000010

What in terms of the 65,536 levels is the just noticeable difference ,
ditto for the 16M levels for 24 bit ?
The JND is variously reported as being around 0.1 to 0.4db, how finely
does 16 or 24 bit audio render minimal
differences ?

Just Curious


1. "Audibility of a CD-Standard A/D/A Loop Inserted into High-
Resolution Audio Playback". E. Brad Meyer and David R. Moran. JAES
55(9) September 2007

[Arny Krueger]

wrote in message
ps.com...

Conclusions of the subject paper (see fotnote 1):

"Claims both published and anecdotal are regularly made for audibly superior
sound quality for two-channel audio encoded with longer word lengths and/or
at higher sampling rates than the 16-bit/44.1-kHz CD standard. The authors
report on a series of double-blind tests comparing the analog output of
high-resolution players playing high-resolution recordings with the same
signal passed through a 16-bit/44.1-kHz "bottleneck." The tests were
conducted for over a year using different systems and a variety of subjects.
The systems included expensive professional monitors and one high-end system
with electrostatic loudspeakers and expensive components and cables. The
subjects included professional recording engineers, students in a university
recording program, and dedicated audiophiles. The test results show that the
CD-quality A/D/A loop was undetectable at normal-to-loud listening levels,
by any of the subjects, on any of the playback systems. The noise of the
CD-quality loop was audible only at very elevated levels."



There are numerous discussions about whether 16 bit is audibly
different from 24 bit. Meyer and Moran suggest it isnt[1] but this
paper has come in for a lot of criticism. I got to thinking thusly, 24
bits gives you a theoretical 144db (I think) of dynamic range and thus
allows a tremendous power of discrimination between levels so for
instance take

110000000000000000000001
and
110000000000000000000010

could anyone human tell the difference ? and would the difference be
subjectively different from...

1100000000000001
and
1100000000000010

can existing audio kit amp/speakers even render the difference
between

110000000000000000000001
and
110000000000000000000010

What in terms of the 65,536 levels is the just noticeable difference ,
ditto for the 16M levels for 24 bit ?

JNDs are as small as 0.3 dB, depending on frequency and program material.



The JND is variously reported as being around 0.1 to 0.4db, how finely
does 16 or 24 bit audio render minimal
differences ?

1. "Audibility of a CD-Standard A/D/A Loop Inserted into High-
Resolution Audio Playback". E. Brad Meyer and David R. Moran. JAES
55(9) September 2007

More information:

http://www.bostonaudiosociety.org/explanation.htm