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ADC Dynamic range and microphones



		

			

									
					    REmusic
					
							

			
				
									
											
			
			
				
    
			
			
			    	
			                    
                
				                on Oct 6, 2021 
				
			
			
		
    

				
		
    
		    		    
		    
		    		            		        
    Category: Hardware
    
    		        		        		    		    	
			
    Currently, many companies create ADC with an enormeous dynamic range (120 db or more). However, the practical dynamic range of a microphone can be 94db (SPL). This means -26 in digital full scale (dbfs) of a DAW (Cubase, Pro Tools and so on) . Also, according some papers, a dymamic range of 96db ( CD quality ) is enough to record music, if you mix and process the audio tracks with a resolution of 24 or 32bits before the final format (16 bits CD).
    

    

    Is there  a real advantage in using a new audio interface (ADC 120db or more) instead an old interface ( ADC 105db) when I record with condenser microphones? ( For example: recording classical music).
    

    

    
										

    
				moved
    
[edited by: GenevaCooper at 5:54 PM (GMT -4) on 20 Apr 2023]
				
    
						
			        
		
    

				
				
		
    
			
						
									
									
						
						
			
			
			
			
		
    

        
        

					
    
			
    


    


	
    
		
	
    















    
	
    
	
    
					



			


				
	









	
      
	

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      •  Analog Employees  
      
            
			                            
                        
                on May 1, 2023 12:46 PM
            
            
					
      
	
      

		
		
      
					
      There are some microphones capable of more than 105 dB dynamic range (these are almost 130 dB DNR), but the extra dynamic range is mostly for headroom. For example, when you set your gain levels, it's very difficult to know exactly what setting corresponds to the loudest sound. It's much easier to set the gain 10 dB below what you expect it to be and not have to worry about clipping. Similarly, when you add multiple sources in a mix, in phase signals will add to higher levels that any single source on it's own. The peace of mind of knowing that you're both well above the noise floor and well below clipping makes better converters worthwhile in some situations. Once the levels are well known, and you have full control over compression and limiting, you can move to a 16-bit format with very little loss.
      
			
      

		
			
	      

		
		
	
      
	
      
		
      
			
		
      
	
      
	
      
		
						
						
				
						
				
				
		
		
      
			
		
      
	
      

      

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