In the example you picked, your point is correct. Since you stated that the dynamic range of the original performance was 65 dB, then digitizing it to more than 65 dB is a waste. If a symphony was limited to 65 dB dynamic range, then 11 bits would be enough. But is 65 dB a realistic number for a symphony performance? Does that allow for the very quietest moment (when no one is playing, speaking, or coughing) to the very loudest drum crash or cannon (think 1812 Overture)? The dynamic range of human hearing is often estimated at 140 dB (threshold of hearing to threshold of pain). I don't know how much a symphony performance could get to, but 65 dB seems pessimistic.
The other thing to keep in mind is that you would need to leave some headroom at the high end unless you knew in advance what the highest peak level of the performance was going to be. If you guess too low, you will clip on the peak. If you guess too high, you will be 'throwing away' that much dynamic range. So you might want 10 or 20 dB extra just to be sure you stay out of clipping. Then your 65 dB symphony would need to be recorded with 75 or 85 dB of dynamic range available. Terry ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TerryS's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=40835 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105717 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
