2. digital
  3. 169879-41852

16 bit vs 24 bit vs 35 bit vs 36 bit vs 64 bit DAC sampling

I have limited knowledge about DAC's, but as I understand it, a typical CD player used to have 16 bit sampling, and supposedly no one was supposed to be able to hear the difference between anything more than 16 bit sampling; however, I recently purchased an Esoteric K-01X, which has 35 bit sampling (why 35 bits? no doubt only to differentiate it from their then top of the line 36 bit sampled Grandioso series).  

Now I can hear a big difference between my old Musical Fidelity kW DM25 DAC with 24 bit sampling (circa 2005), and the newer Esoteric DAC with 35 bit sampling, although I'm not supposed to, although maybe there are some other electrical programs playing with the sound besides the sampling rate.  

Now, there are 64 bit sampling DAC's, and I'm wondering how much the ear actually does hear from the sampling, or if it's something else entirely that's making the digital sound better?  

Any insightful opinions or perspectives?  

Thanks.
drbond

Showing 1 response by clearthinker

clearthinker's avatar
clearthinker
1,582 posts
 
Yes 16 bits is plenty I agree.

But the sampling rate is much more important.
As every high school math graduate knows, the wave form of digital sampling is a jagged zig-zag saw, like an endless flight of stairs.  The little triangles at created by joining the teeth of the saw is a measure of the departure of the digital representation from the true waveform of the sound or, rather, the music you want to listen to.

The higher the sampling rate the smaller the little triangles and the closer you get to the original sound.

Of course, if you want the original sound, you have to listen in analogue.


More to discover