On Tue, 3 Feb 2015 21:58:32 +0000 Fons Adriaensen <fons@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > On Mon, Feb 02, 2015 at 02:41:44PM +0000, Harry van Haaren wrote: > > > In short: mix with enough headroom in Ardour, ensure that the > > master-output level in Ardour is happy - ideally somewhere between -20 > > and -6dB. When that signal arrives at the DAC, it will not > > significantly impact on SNR. Then use an analog volume fader to change > > the speaker-volume. > > Right. > > Signal to quantisation noise ratios are not a concern in > most cases even with 16 bits - other factors will dominate > the result. Some numbers to think about: > > 16 bits gives you a dynamic range of more than 97 dB, that > is unweighted and without dithering. Assume your average > RMS level is 15 dB below maximum, and that the listener > will adjust her volume to 95 dB SPL (that is quite loud). > Quantisation noise will be at 12 dB SPL. That is below > the ambient noise level in most places. With dithering > on the final 16-bit result it will even be better. > > Second example: You're recording an artist who produces > 80 dB(A) SPL, and the self-noise of your mic is 12 dB(A), > a typical value for a good quality studio condenser mic. > Then the S/N ratio of the recording can't be better than > 68 dB, the equivalent of around 11 bits. > > Ciao, > There is a really good video explaining this very clearly but in very understandable terms here: http://xiph.org/video/vid2.shtml -- Will J Godfrey http://www.musically.me.uk Say you have a poem and I have a tune. Exchange them and we can both have a poem, a tune, and a song. _______________________________________________ Linux-audio-user mailing list Linux-audio-user@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx http://lists.linuxaudio.org/listinfo/linux-audio-user
