[sdiy] dsPICs with DACs: linearizing the 12 bit ADCs, external RAM?

[jbv]

cheater cheater a *crit :

>
> For single instrument inputs, if the instrument is going to undergo
> heavy processing, this doesn't matter that much, really. Each of those
> instruments would probably be at -12 to -20 dB in the mix which lowers
> their effective output to those 13-14 bits (and most possibly 10-12
> bits effectively because of the DAC crappiness). The effects obscure
> the sound even more, so shave a bit or a couple off that as well.

Mmmh... I'm not sure... My doubts are based on a personal experience :
in the mid 90's I did participate to a remix of a few songs that had been
recorded a few years ago on an 16-but ADAT. Additional tracks were
recorded on a 20-bit ADAT and then we went to a professional studio
for the final mix and did transfer all ADAT tracks to a Sony 48-trk tape
machine. I agree that we were in a high-end environment, very different
from the daily situation of hobbyists, but nevertheless the difference
between tracks recorded in 16 bits and tracks recorded in 20 bits was
clearly audible...
And AFAIR the difference was even more obvious when we sent a
track to some  FX processor...

JB