I'm going to post this article (from that Monty guy) that doesn't get enough links here IMO.Take a 24-bit track. Convert to 16 bits. Convert back to 24 bits. Use DeltaWave to compare original 24-bit track with converted track.
I'm getting results such as the following:
View attachment 416729
I understand that it might be useful sticking to 24 bits in the studio (for further processing), but what's the point of using 24-bit tracks for replay?
FWIW, good ol' redbook has always sounded perfectly fine to me.
Mani.
24/192 Music Downloads are Very Silly Indeed
Tl;dr:
Human hearing is limited both in bandwidth and dynamic range.
More than 48kHz is not needed for the former
More than 16 bits (dithered) is not needed for the latter.
Higher bandwidth audio can actually reduce fidelity by intermodulation in the speaker and/or amp reflecting back into the audio bandwidth in an audible way.
(the above referring to reproduction rather than production)
Lots of useful illustration and explanation.