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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 noske

noske
783 posts
 
@cleeds

I understand the steps appearance in the time domain.

Instead of the sinewave looking smooth in the time domain, it looks stepped up in increments, then down, up, down with the flow of the sinewave. The horizontal aspect.

As bit rate increases, the size of these steps decrease. With 65,536 of the little buggers, I reckon the curve would be pretty smooth (but not continuous), in the scheme of tings.

Nyquist goes to Hz sampling (the vertical aspect in the time domain) and the step landings - horizontal bits - would become narrower with higher Hz sampling rate.

In any event, I query the theorem that a continuous signal may be obtained. One may be approached.

I don’t click on links.
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