Quote:
Originally Posted by springer  YES - depending on what the AD converters can handle, things do sound different at different levels. |
Please provide links to credible statements of that nature. Or provide some sort of even semi-scientific explanation. How would one converter be able to "handle" higher levels than another? Are all bits not created equal? If they are not, what about 1-bit converters? How would you explain such differences? And what exactly does "handle" refer to? What happens beyond the level a converter can "handle"? Distortion? Non-linearity with regard to frequency response? Some other inexplicable change of "sound quality"?
Would this phenomenon be one of the actual converter chip (as opposed to the analog circuitry that precedes conversion)? I.e. would an AK 5385 always sound best at a certain level, regardless of what device it is built into?
Are you referring to maximum levels? Apparently not, otherwise you would not be asking about "tracking levels". So please explain how a converter with a specific ideal "tracking level" range as per your idea will handle music with a dynamic range of 20, 30, or even 50 dB? It would probably sound best with a static sine wave at the ideal level...
How have you ascertained the differences you hear? Did you compare identical material at e.g. -10 and -20 dBFS (peak or RMS?), played at identical SPL (which would involve analog gain or attenuation)?