markp@tekmdp.UUCP (Mark Paulin) (08/09/83)
It can be shown that for the ideal case the frequency response of a digital audio system will extend to half the sampling frequency at the high end, and that the S/N in dB will be very close to 10.8 + 6.0 * n where n is the number of bits used in the quantization. Thus the Soundstream system (sampled at 50kHz, 16 bit quantization) may be expected to provide frequency response out to 25kHz with S/N of about 107dB. The Denon PCM system (sampled at 44.2kHz, 14 bit quantization), on the other hand, may be expected to provide frequency response out to 22.1kHz with S/N of about 95dB. The above comments are for the ideal transfer function. In practice there are several problems associated with real-time D-A conversion. These problems are more severe with the 16-bit system than with the 14-bit system. I have read that this is the reason for the use of the oversampled 14-bit technique in the Magnavox player -- they do not believe that the 16-bit technology is sufficient today to perform the D-A conversion in a MUSICALLY sound fashion. I agree with the people at Magnavox, which is yet another reason for me to wait for the next generation of players to hit the market... Mark Paulin ...tektronix!tekmdp!markp