The Real Measurements of the Digital Audio | part two

17.01.2012

As anticipated at the end of part one, in the following images we will see how performs a converter at 5.000 Hz, a measure where it is still full audible.

As for the previous images, the signals are sinusoidal, square wave, sawtooth and triangular at a frequency of 5.000 Hz (5 KHz):

 

 

 

 

At this point, the differences are evident, the sinusoidal wave is still very good, but the square, the sawtooth and the triangular are clearly distorted.

 

Ultimately, I have lingered over a barely audible frequency, but still perceived by nearly all the audiophiles: 10.000 Hz (10 KHz) and 15.000 Hz (15 KHz).

As for the previous images, the signals are sinusoidal, square wave, sawtooth and triangular at a frequency of 10.000 Hz (10 KHz) and 15.000 Hz (15 KHz):

10.000 Hz

 

15.000 Hz

 

10.000 Hz

 

15.000 Hz

 

10.000 Hz

 

10.000 Hz

 

15.000 Hz

 

At this point it is evident how the sinusoid is perfect, and the sawtooth, the triangular and the square have become sinusoids or, worse, madcap waves, like the triangular at 10.000 Hz.

 

 

Conclusions

 

Analogue or digital, this is the dilemma. The choice is tightly tied to a personal evaluation. The analogue systems have a better intrinsic precision than the digital systems. Their precision on the particulars related to the coherency of the scene and to some sound details is really amazing. On the other hand, they often have a not endurable signal-to-noise ratio, together with a very fast decay of the quality because of the wearing of the vinyl support: the best supports have a decay of 10-15% after the sixth passage of the pick-up. Let alone the problem of the dust.

 

About the digital, we have to say that today exist some conversion systems at 192 KHz and 24 bits that can assure an incredible detail, with an astounding noise level and scenic reconstruction. But, also in the digital we have some problems in the conversion of the formats: the shift from a sampling at 44.1 KHz to 48 KHz produces a big loss of resolution and listening is almost impossible. The same happens with a conversion from 192 KHz to 44.1 KHz.

 

In conclusion, these measurements have been done to demonstrate how the digital systems can be comparable to the analogue systems. Provided that, now we know it, it is necessary that some basic specifics are satisfied. Like the A/D sampling frequency and the D/A conversion not lower than 192 KHZ, the D/A conversion frequency equal to the A/D sampling, the depth of the bit level that has not to be lower than 22 bits, the extremely stable sampling frequency (low jitter).

 

It is a trifle, isn’t it?

 

Anyway, enjoy your listening, any system you going to choose...

 

by Alberto Pepe
Pepe
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