UK Radio Stream 48khz/32bit - do I therefore need a 32bit capable DAC?

[paddycrow]

Optical and Coax are digital, you should look for analog output (RCA, XLR, 1/4" phone, 1/8" mini, etc). Unless you wish to bypass your DAC into another DAC (not sure why).

 

[homophoni]

If you want to play 32 bit content, you will need a DAC that is capable. Will you be able to hear the difference with 24 or 16 bit content? I doubt it.

I hear the difference, especially for field recordings. In the past I would struggle to record something like a jumbo jet and have the resultant recording retain its "bigness." But with 32 bit floating point I can record a whole stack of jumbo jets! (image from https://www.sounddevices.com/32-bit-float-files-explained/)

 

[beeface]

Sorry to go slightly off-topic but surely there's a very low chance of a radio DJ playing content that's higher quality than redbook anyway? A high res radio stream sounds like a questionable premise to me

 

[Frgirard]

I've just noticed that some good quality 320kps Radio streams are reported as 48kHZ/32bit within VLC player.


I'm decision making on buying an external DAC and Headphone Amp. I was including some well respected older DACs often limited to 96/24 (and sometimes 48/24), which I thought would be fine, as long as they are well designed & made.

However, this new discovery that the streams are 48/32, is it correct? Are they really 32bit?

With my onboard ALC1220, direct into some HD595s the streams sound nice, as good as some ripped 44.1/16 CDs.
But, I cant genuinely hear a difference when I change between 48/16 48/24 & 48/32, but it's nice to be able to do that and test.

With a higher quality DAC and Headphone Amp will it become possible to distinguish between 16bit and 32 bit?

And so, as I am buying my first DAC, would it be wise to pick one that does 32bit?

You don' t need a 32 bit dac. 32 bit is 16 bit of nothing.