Stacking two or more digital volume controls?

[flaviowolff]

Hi, there.
Is there any theoretical downside between using a single digital control vs stracking two, achieving the same SPL?

Scenario 1: using software volume control at 100% and controlling volume only via windows (digitally).
Scenario 2: lowering windows volume control AND software volume control at the same time

In both scenarios, the same SPL would be achieved.

Is there any difference between scenarios above, regarding what happens to the digital signal?

Thanks!

 

[hyperplanar]

If the software is passing the audio data to Windows in something like 24-bit integer format, then theoretically yes. Because the volume control is done at a higher precision, then dithered down to 24 bits, and then Windows does the same thing, so your audio is getting dithered twice, leading to a minuscule loss of SNR.

In practice, this makes zero difference at the DAC output anyways because no DAC has an SNR high enough for the dithering noise at 24 bits to matter.

 

[bennetng]

Hi, there.
Is there any theoretical downside between using a single digital control vs stracking two, achieving the same SPL?

Scenario 1: using software volume control at 100% and controlling volume only via windows (digitally).
Scenario 2: lowering windows volume control AND software volume control at the same time

In both scenarios, the same SPL would be achieved.

Is there any difference between scenarios above, regarding what happens to the digital signal?

Thanks!

I think I replied it on another thread already:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-difference-in-sound-quality.7029/post-375920
Did you try the files?