Patrick Talbot - Upper Hand (M&F)

[Digitaldruglord]

Since you got so technical and last time you ignored my question regarding this I took the liberty to find this. Learned a few things my self

Originally Posted by majkel View Post
1) The Nyquist theorem does not include amplitude quantization meaning infinite resolution, so it doesn't discuss quantization effects at all.
2) There is no audio system in the world giving more than 20 clear bits of signal due to resistance and semiconductor noise chracteristics.
3) You cannot "recreate" a single thing by dithering, just make it sounding more natural to the ears, especially when using noise shaping filters for the dither signal.
4) It's not true ADC's do any dithering. Some of them do some lowpass filtering with noise shaping involved when delta-sigma type which happens not for the dithering purposes but for the signal itself.
5) You cannot increase dynamic range by dithering.
6) It's not dynamics killing people and affecting hearing but sound pressure with the given numbers of 140dB = pain, 160~180dB = death, respectively. You can listen to the signal with the 144dB dynamics not exceeding safe sound pressure limits, just set the volume appropriately. Sure, you won't hear the bottom of your dynamic range then.

1. True.
2. True. Most people believe that their 24bit DAC is actually a 24bit DAC, just marketing I'm afraid.
3. True. Dithering is just a process which should be used whenever a quantisation or re-quantisation is performed, to convert quantisation errors into un-correlated noise.
4. This one is not true. All ADCs use dither. Some 24bit ADCs use self-dither, in other words because the digital noise floor is so low (-144dB) the noise generated by their own internal components is enough to dither, but one way or another, they all dither. Also, all ADCs use a low-pass brick wall filter (anti-alias filter). Noise-shaped dither is not and should never be used in an ADC or when mixing. As the recorded channels are mixed the re-distributed noise is summed and can cause problems. The only time noise-shaped dither should be applied is during the last quantisation process. This usually means when converting the 24bit master from the recording studio into 16bit for CD release.
5. Sort of true. In an absolute sense CD has 96dB dynamic range, however if we move the noise that is down at the -96dB level to areas of the hearing spectrum where we are less sensitive (for example below 60Hz or above 12kHz). This gives a perceived improvement of dynamic range for 16bit. Bob Katz, the leading expert, reckons that about 120dB is the perceived dynamic range achievable with today's dithering technology.
6. True. Though of course by turning down your amp and not hearing the quietest sounds, then you are not hearing all the detail or the whole dynamic range, so it rather defeats the whole purpose of more dynamic range (more bits) in the first place.


If I'm listening to your mix at low or mid level and it distorts.. Then there is a problem.

Sure, it's called "Don't use earbuds to listen to my mixes" I ignore you because you said you're on a 2007 computer and on headphones, I admire your work, it's good, but your opinions come from a contained working environment..