When your inSync editor has a brain fade you must administer eloctro-shock therapy. Recently I wrote that 24-bit audio had a dynamic range of 120 dB and that each bit added to the word increased the dynamic range by 3 dB (3/11/98). Well... that was incorrect, and I know better. Without getting into the theory I will simply offer the correction. 16 bit audio = 96 dB dynamic range, 20 bit audio = 120 dB dynamic range, and 24 bit audio = 144 dB dynamic range. It is 6 dB per bit, not 3 dB.

So what good is 144 dB of dynamic range you ask? Reality is that no matter what bit depth you are at the actual performance is going to be less. You never really get a full 96 dB out of 16 bit, and similarly, you'll never get a full 144 dB out of 24 bit. Also, in 24 bit any errors and slop from DSP processing are down below the practical 120dB noise floor of analog electronics. That's why so many people dither (See WFTD archive dither) from higher bit depths down to 16 bit. Then you really can approach the theoretical limit of 96 dB assuming the playback device is up to the task.

Boy, that crow sure doesn't go down very smoothly. Thanks to my friends Paul H for holding me down, and Mitch G for applying the electro-shock.