Audio Bit Depth, Dynamic Range & SNR Calculator
Calculate theoretical dynamic range, signal-to-quantization-noise ratio (SQNR), noise floor in dBFS, uncompressed PCM data rate, and 32-bit floating point clipping headroom.
Digital Audio Configuration
Frequently Asked Questions
Can human ears hear the difference between 16-bit and 24-bit audio?
In a final finished commercial master played at normal listening volumes, human ears cannot distinguish 16-bit from 24-bit because 16-bit dithered audio provides 98 dB of dynamic range, exceeding the acoustic noise floor of virtually all residential listening rooms. However, during recording and mixing, 24-bit is essential to provide 48 dB of extra headroom, preventing inadvertent clipping while keeping the noise floor inaudible.
Does 32-bit float recording mean my audio can never distort?
32-bit float prevents digital clipping in the A/D conversion and file recording stage. However, if the physical microphone capsule itself distorts mechanically from excessive sound pressure level (acoustic SPL overload), or if the analog preamp circuit clips before the dual A/D converter, the distorted audio will still be captured.