FWIW, just picked this up from a Google search:
Lindell B. Jones Jr., Long-time music lover. Met a handful of rock/pop stars.Answered 1 year ago · Author has 156 answers and 144.5K answer viewsNot that can actually be heard under ordinary circumstances.
Using 16 bit samples gives you 65,536 (2^16) possible values to which any given sample in an audio signal can be rounded. Using 24 bit samples gives you 16,777,216 (2^24) possible values, or 256 possibilities for each possibility with 16 bit. That is a huge difference on paper, but not to your ears.
The rounding of samples to the nearest possibility creates what’s called quantization noise. With 16 bit, the dynamic range for the quantization noise is 96 dB. That’s the difference between the loudest sound that can be recorded and the threshold at which you can just barely hear any quantization noise. With 24 bit, the dynamic range is 144 dB.
Now, consider that a very quiet room in a typical home has about 30 dB of background noise. That means that to hear any quantization noise on your 16 bit recording (e.g. a normal CD), you’d have to turn the volume up so that the loudest sounds are at 126 dB. That’s about the threshold of pain for most people. So unless you plan on playing your music so loudly that it makes your ears hurt (and you have equipment that can produce that volume), 16 bits is plenty.
By the way, the 174 dB you’d need to hear quantization noise with 24 bit is loud enough to literally KILL you!
If there’s an audible difference between a 16 bit and 24 bit recording, it is most likely because the 24 bit one was mastered better, as is often the case. But 16 bits is generally more than sufficient within the limits of human hearing.
See www DOT quora.com/Is-there-a-significant-difference-between-16-bit-and-24-bit-in-audio-accessories
No comment from me other than it is just one gent's opinion. And for the sale of full disclosure, I have never critically compared redbook CD (16 bit/44.1kHZ) to other hi-rez formats. Not sure this is relevant, but my ARC CD-9SE can oversample my redbook CD playback to 176.4kHZ. Not sure the output sounds all that much better that just playing the CD at the native 44.1kHZ sampling rate.
That said, I have critically compared my CD-9SE playing back redbook CDs source to vinyl played off my turntable. IMO, vinyl "usually" sounds better, but not always. I surmise that the SQ of the recording stamped onto the media (i.e., a CD versus an LP) can make a big difference in what comes out of the speakers.
For example, I recall A/B'ing a track on a CD of John Mellencamp's greatest hits to the same song on a Mellencamp record. Interestingly, IMO, it was a photo finish of which format sounded better. Maybe in the end, it may come down to garbage-in/garbage-out.
What I am interested in exploring is the DAC side of my Ref CD-9SE for streaming. Just have to get the courage and time to dip my toes into the streaming waters.
Interesting thread. I'll stay tuned.
