Emu XL-7 & MP-7 User's Group

Quick lesson on digital audio math:

One full scale 16 bit sound = 16 bits.
Two full scale 16 bit sounds = 17 bits.
Four full scale 16 bit sounds = 18 bits.
128 full scale 16 bit sounds = 23 bits.

Difference in volume bewteen 16 bits and 23 bits = 42dB.

Essentially what all this means is that a 128 voice sampler needs to
have 42dB of headroom to ensure that no digital clipping occurs. 
However, if you record the S/PDIF output, normalizing will *ALWAYS*
sound cleaner and be more high-fidelity than recording the analog
mains.  Always, always, always; no exceptions.  The same digital signal
that goes to the S/PDIF jack is the same one that goes to the D/A
converters.  It's not like there's a separate "gain-reduced" version
that goes to S/PDIF.  D/A then back through A/Ds NEVER improves
fidelity (though it may color the sound which may or may not be a good
thing).

--- rajah_patel <rajah_patel@...> wrote:
> why the SPdif digital out has such a low output.
> 
> is it best to use the Digital output and then normalize
> or should you just sample off the analogue "Main outs"?


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