64-bit audio processing. Necessity or redundancy

Here viewed advantages and disadvantages of different bit resolutions (16, 24, 32 bit, ... integer and floating point) of digital audio processing.

Remark: AuI ConverteR 48x44 use 64-bit floating point audio processing for all versions



16-bit integer processing

Advantages

1. Fast mathematics.

2. Low occupied hard disk and random access memory (RAM) space.

Disadvantages

1. High noise level (about -110 ... -120  dB)

2. Low number summarize / multiply steps  for achieving overflow.

3. Is not optimal bit size for 32- and 64-bit processors of computer - central processor unit (CPU).

24-bit integer processing

Advantages

1. Low noise level (about -150 ... -160  dB)

Disadvantages

1. Is not suitable bit size for 32- and 64-bit CPUs.

32-bit integer processing

Advantages

1. Very low noise level (about -170 ... -190  dB)

2. Fast mathematics.

3. Fastest access to RAM (for 32- and 64-bit CPUs).

3. Is optimal bit size for 32- and 64-bit processors of computers.

Disadvantages

1. Restricted number summarize / multiply steps  for achieving overflow.

32-bit floating point processing

Advantages

1. Fast mathematics (for math co-processors).

2. Fastest access to RAM (for 32- and 64-bit CPUs).

3. Very low noise level (below -190 dB)

Disadvantages

1. Restricted number summarize / multiply steps  for achieving overflow, but more then integer.

64-bit integer processing

Advantages

1. Very low noise level (below -190  dB)

3. Fastest access to RAM (for 64-bit CPUs). Optimal bit size for 32- and 64-bit processors of computers.

Disadvantages

1. Restricted number summarize / multiply steps  for achieving overflow (then for floating point resolutions).

2. More significant  accumulated rounding errors (than for floating point resolutions).

64-bit floating point processing

Advantages

1. Almost not restricted number summarize / multiply steps  for achieving overflow (then for floating point resolutions).

2. Very low noise level (below -190  dB)

3. Fastest access to RAM (for 64-bit CPUs). Optimal bit size for 32- and 64-bit processors of computers.

Disadvantages

1. Most slow calculation performance.

Read about audio issues

1. What is Jitter in Audio. Sound Quality Issues >
2. What is Audio Converter >
3. How to Choose the Best Audio Converter Software >
4. What Is Ringing Audio >
5. What is dithering audio? >
6. Bit-Depth Audio and Harmonic Distortions >
7. Audio as Optics >
8. What is optimization audio for DAC >
9. Where is the Limit of Audio Quality? >
10. Power Conditioner for Audio. It's real advantage? >

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