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Re: Another neophyte flailing around on this subject...

Subject: Re: Another neophyte flailing around on this subject...
From: "Scott Fraser" scottbfraser
Date: Fri Aug 13, 2010 5:38 am ((PDT))
<<But cutting the Ohms at the Mic in half is significant.>>

But this has very little effect on sound with most mics. Ribbon mics
are most sensitive to input impedance. With any mic generally under
consideration for nature recording impedance is not an issue at all.

<<  And the signal to noise ratio is significant.>>

It certainly is, if those specs are accurate.

<<I knew they made it better, but never really knew how outside of
battery life.  And the difference would be much greater if I wasn't
using mics with a 28dB (A weighted) noise floor.>>

That level of mic self noise will render the noise differences between
subsequent devices rather moot.

<<Also interesting to note a 10Hz - 100kHz range at 1-bit and only
10Hz-40kHz range at 24bit / 192kHz.  I didn't know that.  I only knew
that 1-bit/DSD is supposed to have slightly better dynamic range than
24 bit.>>

The limitation in dynamic range & noise is a result of thermal noise
at the molecular level, & not the mode of recording. DSD offers an
improvement in bandwidth but not dynamic range over PCM. Just so you
know, the best noise/dynamics that can be achieved, above absolute
zero, is approximately 21 bits worth, regardless of the method of
conversion. The limitation is in the analog electronics, not the
digital converters.

<<  Not that I have mics, nor monitors that use that extra range much
(yet).  And with the MM-1's only a 10Hz-50kHz frequency range, so cut
in half if I go DSD with them in use.  If specs are to be trusted.>>

Specs are at best a very general guide, easily manipulated by
marketing departments, & reveal nothing about sound quality. Read them
with skepticism.

Scott Fraser








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