Analog Devices AN-327 Application Note DAC ICs How Many Bits is Enough

About this manual

This document examines digital-to-analog converters (DACs) designed for digital audio playback circuitry. It analyzes the tradeoffs between different architectures and bit depths, specifically addressing why 18-bit and 20-bit converters are used despite CDs being encoded in a 16-bit PCM format. The text explains the roles of sampling and quantization in audio conversion.

What's inside

• Basic theoretical concepts
• Sampling and quantization
• DAC circuit evolution
• D/A reconstruction filters
• Digital vs analog filtering

Frequently asked questions

What is the theoretical dynamic range of a 16-bit format for consumer digital audio?

The theoretical dynamic range is 98.1dB.

What are the two common sampling frequencies used in digital audio applications?

The common sampling frequencies are 44.1kHz and 48kHz.

What is the output rate of the digital oversampling filter chip shown in the example circuit?

The output rate is 16.93944MHz.