This topic has been covered heavily, so I apologize in advance if this thread is redundant, but I don't feel like I've found complete answers to some of my questions. Thank you for any help you can provide.
1. Is there any advantage to a higher sample rate other than to achieve higher frequency response output? For example, a CD has a sample rate of 44.1 kHz and can output a max frequency of about 22 kHz. I know from online hearing tests that at normal listening levels I can hear test tones only up to about 17 kHz. Based on this information there wouldn't be any advantage for me to listen to music above the readily available 44.1 kHz sample rate unless there are other advantages to a higher sample rate that I don't understand? Please clarify if there are any advantages to higher sample rates, other than the production of higher frequency sounds, that I am not understanding.
2. If a higher sample rate means your speakers will be producing, or trying to produce, higher frequency sounds that are inaudible I understand that that could produce more distortion in the inaudible spectrum. Now that distortion wouldn't be audible, but since your speakers/headphones/drivers are spending time/movement producing those higher, inaudible frequencies couldn't that affect the driver's ability to accurately produce lower, audible frequencies? Why make it harder for the driver to reproduce the audible music by adding a bunch of extra work for the equipment in the inaudible range?
3. I understand that the human ear can probably hear a maximum dynamic range of 120 dB, which equals out to 20 bits of depth. Are there any other advantages to a bit rate greater than the 16 bits provided by CD quality music other than to increase the potential dynamic range of the recording? Have there been any tests done on popular music, jazz, or classical recordings to verify what the maximum dynamic range produced by the recording was in order to identify how frequently, if ever, musical recordings make use of more than 16 bits of dynamic range?
Thank you for your help.
1. Is there any advantage to a higher sample rate other than to achieve higher frequency response output? For example, a CD has a sample rate of 44.1 kHz and can output a max frequency of about 22 kHz. I know from online hearing tests that at normal listening levels I can hear test tones only up to about 17 kHz. Based on this information there wouldn't be any advantage for me to listen to music above the readily available 44.1 kHz sample rate unless there are other advantages to a higher sample rate that I don't understand? Please clarify if there are any advantages to higher sample rates, other than the production of higher frequency sounds, that I am not understanding.
2. If a higher sample rate means your speakers will be producing, or trying to produce, higher frequency sounds that are inaudible I understand that that could produce more distortion in the inaudible spectrum. Now that distortion wouldn't be audible, but since your speakers/headphones/drivers are spending time/movement producing those higher, inaudible frequencies couldn't that affect the driver's ability to accurately produce lower, audible frequencies? Why make it harder for the driver to reproduce the audible music by adding a bunch of extra work for the equipment in the inaudible range?
3. I understand that the human ear can probably hear a maximum dynamic range of 120 dB, which equals out to 20 bits of depth. Are there any other advantages to a bit rate greater than the 16 bits provided by CD quality music other than to increase the potential dynamic range of the recording? Have there been any tests done on popular music, jazz, or classical recordings to verify what the maximum dynamic range produced by the recording was in order to identify how frequently, if ever, musical recordings make use of more than 16 bits of dynamic range?
Thank you for your help.