Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Welcome to ASR. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions.
Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!
So, then, any time you use a digital volume control that has steps other than 6.02dB steps (1 bit, exactly) you have irrevocably assured harm (which may be minimal in may cases, yes) to your original signal.
So I assume you propose here a volume control that does a bit shift..
But that means you have to throw away one or more LSBs, which can only be done properly by dithering.
So harm is done in both situations.
In that case I prefer to have finer digital steps and dithering, accepting a slightly higher noise floor.
Nevertheless, the reality is that a lot of music is distributed with intersample overs. It is also the reality that many DACs lack the headroom to handle this cleanly. The pragmatic solution is to offer the option of reducing the level in software, even though this wouldn't be necessary in a perfect world. Only a fanatic would insist on using an inferior approach in the name of purity. Then again, we're talking about audiophiles here.
So I assume you propose here a volume control that does a bit shift..
But that means you have to throw away one or more LSBs, which can only be done properly by dithering.
So harm is done in both situations.
In that case I prefer to have finer digital steps and dithering, accepting a slightly higher noise floor.
Nevertheless, the reality is that a lot of music is distributed with intersample overs. It is also the reality that many DACs lack the headroom to handle this cleanly. The pragmatic solution is to offer the option of reducing the level in software, even though this wouldn't be necessary in a perfect world. Only a fanatic would insist on using an inferior approach in the name of purity. Then again, we're talking about audiophiles here.
Oh, I've measured some whoppers, indeed. People complaining about "fake signals" only need to analyze a few REAL clips off of released CD to see what happens in the real world.
And you're flat-out right that many DAC's can't cope.
The moral is: If you want your music to sound like it does in the studio, DON'T INTRODUCE ISP's.
Just don't. It's not hard. It's not a huge effort. Just don't.
So I assume you propose here a volume control that does a bit shift..
But that means you have to throw away one or more LSBs, which can only be done properly by dithering..
A lot of people can't understand what an ISP is. That does not excuse their existence. As to "PC Environment" there is a long story there, and the gain structure is profoundly insane.
