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okydoky · 30th June 2009

hi,

higher sample rate has an advantage with regard to signal to noise [quantization noise]. here is a quote from bob katz's book [page 63], with some specifics.

V. Dither at High Sample Rate.

"Moving to high sample rates automatically provides a signal-to-noise advantage, so 16 bits at 96kHz is 3.4 dB quieter than at 44.1, sonically equivalent to about 16 1/2 bits. Noise-shaping at high sample rates can allow shorter wordlength files with very low psychoacoustic noise floor - the noise can be made extremely low and flat in the audible band and the shaping moved above 20kHz. In fact, 16-bit noise shaped dither at 96kHz can sound as good as 24-bit/44.1, as I discovered one day when I accidentally left 16-bit dither on while working at 96kHz."

elsewhere it is explained simply that the "less quantization noise with higher sample rates" rule is because "the signal adds linearly, but the noise adds with a square root".

this is interesting to me, and i think it is worth consideration in the sample rate discussions.

this has been public service announcement.

right.

30th June 2009	#1
okydoky 3 + infractions, forum membership suspended. Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 780 Thread Starter	snr advantage at higher sample rates hi, higher sample rate has an advantage with regard to signal to noise [quantization noise]. here is a quote from bob katz's book [page 63], with some specifics. V. Dither at High Sample Rate. "Moving to high sample rates automatically provides a signal-to-noise advantage, so 16 bits at 96kHz is 3.4 dB quieter than at 44.1, sonically equivalent to about 16 1/2 bits. Noise-shaping at high sample rates can allow shorter wordlength files with very low psychoacoustic noise floor - the noise can be made extremely low and flat in the audible band and the shaping moved above 20kHz. In fact, 16-bit noise shaped dither at 96kHz can sound as good as 24-bit/44.1, as I discovered one day when I accidentally left 16-bit dither on while working at 96kHz." elsewhere it is explained simply that the "less quantization noise with higher sample rates" rule is because "the signal adds linearly, but the noise adds with a square root". this is interesting to me, and i think it is worth consideration in the sample rate discussions. this has been public service announcement. right.