Tim Gillett
Banned
Okay, but what about the fact that A/D & D/A converters sample the Analog waveform at finite intervals, and at high frequencies there is a compromise?
What about this quote:
"Once set, sample rate does not vary during a recording, although different audio files recorded at different sample rates may be used together in a multitrack system if the software permits it. Usually, as in the case of a DAW, audio files of differing sample rates will need to conform (be converted too) a single sample rate, typically 44.1KHz, 48KHz, 96KHz or 192KHz. This sample rate is usually set in the application preferences for the recording session.
■Higher sample rates produce better quality recordings but also bigger file sizes which demand greater space on storage devices (such as hard drives), and faster processors (CPUs) to manipulate.
■Lower sample rates produce poorer quality but also smaller file sizes which demand less of storage systems, CPUs and will transfer over networks (internet) faster."
VP
Yes it samples at finite intervals, but finely enough to detect perfectly the highest frequency that you want to record. The intervals finer than that are for higher frequencies than you have chosen to record. If you want to record them too, choose a higher sample rate. That's all!
The quote says "higher sample rates produce better quality recordings". That's only true up to the limits of practicality. The phone networks only reproduce audio up to about 3khz, or used to. The upper limit for full frequency audio is generally agreed as 20khz. Do you want to record frequencies up to 40khz? Use 88khz sample rate.
But again, no matter what sample rate you use, you'll never record a true square wave.
Tim