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- Fine, but there are concepts like level masking that long exist and prove this makes little sense.
Yes, the question whether these small inaccuracies make any difference when the bitcodes indicate higher levels is valid.
What I would ask you to do is examine the bitcodes in WAV files of good quality recordings with a lot of dynamic range. You would be surprised how low/small the absolute amplitude/bitcodes tend to be at. I certainly was. Also, you have to realize that even a high level 0dBFS sinewave is composed of bitcodes that run from 0 to 32767 back to 0 down to -32767 back up to 0, et. al.
As far as your doubts whether 16-bits is necessary or not, I guess through your own powers of intuition that you know better than Sony and Philips who came up with the 16/44 Redbook spec, or Philips who realized the TDA1540 at 14-bits was too sucky and needed to make a more accurate 16-bit chip, or the professional recording industry who didn't like the 13/14 bits of information left over from processing in 16-bits, or Mike Mofatt who pioneered the standalone DAC / use of milspec chips (GAIN) two decades ago.
Personally, I'll place my in trust Sony, Philips, Mofatt, (and my own ears which tell me 18-bits is about right for me for playback) than your belief that 16-bits is unnecessary and 14 honest bits with 2 fuzzy fits is all that we need. Honestly, you just sound like an apologize for TotalDAC at this point. It is what it is. No need to defend it. I don't disbelieve you when you said the totalDAC sounded great with your 10 minutes or whatever gear and recordings you used during your audition.