Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "Audio bit depth" in English language version.
So your 32-bit DAC is only ever going to be able to output at most 21 bits of useful data, and the other bits will be masked by circuit noise.
128dB SNR ('A'-weighted mono @ 48 kHz) 123 dB SNR (non-weighted stereo @ 48 kHz)
The practical dynamic range could be said to be from the threshold of hearing to the threshold of pain [130 dB]
all the '32-bit capable' DAC chips existent today have an actual resolution less than 24 bit.
One of the great discoveries in PCM was that by adding a small random noise (that we call dither) the truncation effect can disappear. Even more important was the realization that there is a right sort of random noise to add and that when the right dither is used, the resolution of the digital system becomes infinite.
24-bit DACs often only manage approximately 16-bit performance and the very best reach 21-bit (ENOB) performance
The dynamic range of human hearing is [approximately] 120 dB
Dynamic Range (−60 dB input, A-weighted): 124 dB typical Dynamic Range (−60 dB input, 20 kHz bandwidth): 122 dB typical
The dynamic range of human hearing is [approximately] 120 dB
The practical dynamic range could be said to be from the threshold of hearing to the threshold of pain [130 dB]
With use of shaped dither, which moves quantization noise energy into frequencies where it's harder to hear, the effective dynamic range of 16-bit audio reaches 120dB in practice, more than fifteen times deeper than the 96dB claim. 120dB is greater than the difference between a mosquito somewhere in the same room and a jackhammer a foot away.... or the difference between a deserted 'soundproof' room and a sound loud enough to cause hearing damage in seconds. 16 bits is enough to store all we can hear and will be enough forever.
One of the great discoveries in PCM was that by adding a small random noise (that we call dither) the truncation effect can disappear. Even more important was the realization that there is a right sort of random noise to add and that when the right dither is used, the resolution of the digital system becomes infinite.
With use of shaped dither, which moves quantization noise energy into frequencies where it's harder to hear, the effective dynamic range of 16-bit audio reaches 120dB in practice, more than fifteen times deeper than the 96dB claim. 120dB is greater than the difference between a mosquito somewhere in the same room and a jackhammer a foot away.... or the difference between a deserted 'soundproof' room and a sound loud enough to cause hearing damage in seconds. 16 bits is enough to store all we can hear and will be enough forever.
