DACs essentially cannot reproduce the equivalent of more than 21 bits of resolution (and rarely even 20-bit equivalent) due to the physical limitation of electronic components.*
What is a "bit" in audio terms anyway?
Digital numbers are basically base 2 values. So "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10" becomes "1, 10, 11, 100, 101, 110, 111, 1000, 1001, 1010". Each digit is a "bit", so 16 bits equals up to 16 digits, from "0000000000000000" to "1111111111111111". Knowing that each added bit doubles the numbers (a factor of 2, whereas in regular base 10 maths, each bit/numeral multiples the available numbers by a factor of 10) 16 bits gives us 65,536 values. 24 bits gives us 16,777,216 values. These values are the maximum number of levels of sound available to record digital audio in a 16-bit and 24-bit file respectively.
Volume is measured in dB, and in a file, in -dB. That is, starting at -0db (maximum volume) each bit describes how many levels, in 6dB increments, below maximum volume (-0dB) we have to work with. That means -96dB for a 16-bit file, and -144dB for a 24-bit file. Below about -120dB you begin to hit the physical limitations of electronics, so about 20-21 bits of resolution are the physical maximum.
Dithering allows 16-bits to reproduce audio below its -96dB limit, but that's another discussion.
The Modi Multibit uses a 16-bit DAC. Measurements show that it starts to lose the ability to resolve small signals at -90dB, so anything higher res than that, eg: a 24-bit file, is simply a complete waste of time to use with it. In my own listening, through various high-end amps, you can make out the distortion from it quite easily. With cheap amps, up to about the Lyr 3, it doesn't have any very audible detrimental effect. With a Vali 2 or CTH, you just wont notice. It actually sounds nice. With the new Lyr 3 it's pretty good too.
The DACs in the Schiit multi-bit line are industrial DACs, as has already been explained. I'm guessing that the specific purpose of these DACs is for applications such as fine motor control, where output voltages are constant (and wont run into the low-signal-level issues that occur in audio applications) and the output has to be exact.
Something I might try is seeing if I still can use software that will output a pre-dithered signal to the Mimby and see if that improves things. IIRC Mike doesn't use dithering on any of his multi-bit DACs (otherwise he wouldn't be able to say that they are processing the original digital values) but it might improve the low-level linearity.
*Measuring equipment gets around this in various ways, but that's another thing altogether.
What is a "bit" in audio terms anyway?
Digital numbers are basically base 2 values. So "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10" becomes "1, 10, 11, 100, 101, 110, 111, 1000, 1001, 1010". Each digit is a "bit", so 16 bits equals up to 16 digits, from "0000000000000000" to "1111111111111111". Knowing that each added bit doubles the numbers (a factor of 2, whereas in regular base 10 maths, each bit/numeral multiples the available numbers by a factor of 10) 16 bits gives us 65,536 values. 24 bits gives us 16,777,216 values. These values are the maximum number of levels of sound available to record digital audio in a 16-bit and 24-bit file respectively.
Volume is measured in dB, and in a file, in -dB. That is, starting at -0db (maximum volume) each bit describes how many levels, in 6dB increments, below maximum volume (-0dB) we have to work with. That means -96dB for a 16-bit file, and -144dB for a 24-bit file. Below about -120dB you begin to hit the physical limitations of electronics, so about 20-21 bits of resolution are the physical maximum.
Dithering allows 16-bits to reproduce audio below its -96dB limit, but that's another discussion.
The Modi Multibit uses a 16-bit DAC. Measurements show that it starts to lose the ability to resolve small signals at -90dB, so anything higher res than that, eg: a 24-bit file, is simply a complete waste of time to use with it. In my own listening, through various high-end amps, you can make out the distortion from it quite easily. With cheap amps, up to about the Lyr 3, it doesn't have any very audible detrimental effect. With a Vali 2 or CTH, you just wont notice. It actually sounds nice. With the new Lyr 3 it's pretty good too.
The DACs in the Schiit multi-bit line are industrial DACs, as has already been explained. I'm guessing that the specific purpose of these DACs is for applications such as fine motor control, where output voltages are constant (and wont run into the low-signal-level issues that occur in audio applications) and the output has to be exact.
Something I might try is seeing if I still can use software that will output a pre-dithered signal to the Mimby and see if that improves things. IIRC Mike doesn't use dithering on any of his multi-bit DACs (otherwise he wouldn't be able to say that they are processing the original digital values) but it might improve the low-level linearity.
*Measuring equipment gets around this in various ways, but that's another thing altogether.
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