16bit vs 24bit 44khz vs 96khz

[Blue Bear Sound]

Think of digital recording and playback as slicing a loaf of bread and then reassembling it. No matter what you do, you'll never have the perfectly continuous upper surface of the loaf after it's been sliced. Sample rate is how thick the slices are and bit depth is how close the slice is in heighth to the original loaf. Bit depth may be thought of as forcing the slice to conform to a predetermined level which may or may not be as close as you need it to the original. Higher bit rates allow more choices, so that a level that falls "in between" bit levels in a lower bit rate will end up closer to the original. The good news is that, at some point, your ear starts to hear the samples at a given bit rate as continuous. Obviously the higher bit rate will give smoother sounding results, all other things being equal, than a higher sampling rate.

Yep - great analogy!!! But DAMMIT -- IT'S "BIT DEPTH", NOT "BIT RATE"!!!!!!!!!!

 

[teknomike]

I agree - great analogy.
And note that the thinner the slices (the greater the bit depth), the closer you get to the original loaf.
Mike

 

[vestast]

mmmmm Toast....

 

[lpdeluxe]

Must be getting close to lunch! Blue Bear, I accept your correction with grace and dignity. Masteringhouse, that's great.