Phil Leigh;540196 Wrote: > It's just maths. Each bit = (just over) 6dB... 16x6=96dB (from memory > it's actually 98.1dB) > A simple explanation can be found here... > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_bit_depth > > The difference between the lowest(non zero) and highest possible output > voltage from a 16-bit dac. > > Yeah if you had a good enough SPL meter you could also measure it. Good > enough ain't cheap... > > A 24-bit DAC can in theory achieve a dynamic range of 144dB but for > several reasons this is in practice not possible. 20 bits (120dB) is > the realistic maximum that can be obtained. > > However, as we've been discussing in this thread, in reality theory and > practical reality are rather different (what was it Einstein said..."In > theory, theory and practice are the same... in practice they are not")
So, in essence, is what you're all saying that, in a normal living circumstance, us humans really cannot hear "all" of what the highest quality audio has to offer without likely damaging our hearing? Is much of the debate about audio simply about trying to wring the most detail (for lack of a better term) out of music while still maintaining a safe volume level? Thank you all for your most fascinating commentary here. I'll try not to pester all you Einsteins (and I use that term very respectfully!) any more. -- rgro Rick System information ------------------------ Running Squeeze Server 7.5.0 r30464 on Windows 7 64 bit/ HP Pavillion w/Intel i7 processor. 1 Duet Controller running 7.5.0 r8673, and 1 receiver running firmware V 65. Controller and receiver configured in all-wireless set-up using Netgear WNDR 3700. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ rgro's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=34348 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=77725 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
