Why 24-bit/192kHz audio makes no sense — and the three practitioners who complicate it (people.xiph.org)
The physics is unforgiving: ears top out near 20kHz, so 44.1kHz captures all of it, and ultrasonic content can fold distortion back into the audible band. A Boston Audio Society test nailed it — 554 trials, listeners correct 49.8% of the time. A coin flip.
But the practitioners drew real lines. A music producer swears he hears 16-bit vs 24-bit in his own renders. A film sound designer records to 100kHz because slowing that audio reveals real content above hearing. A DSP researcher prefers high rates for more forgiving filters — all while agreeing about final playback.
Sign in to save