Digital Audio

Here's what digital audio is all about.  You see, the digital audio definition is simply the reproduction and transmission of sound being stored in a digital format.  Sound files that have been stored on a computer as well as CDs are included in this format.

In short, digital audio output represents processing, storage, and the transmission of audio waveform.  Digital audio files can be broken down into a series of samples whenever analog sound waves are stored in digital form. 

The primary device utilized in a digital audio receiver is a ADC which is short for Analog-to- Digital Converter.  The ADC catches a snapshot of the electric voltage on an audio line.  It then interprets it as a digital number that can be transmitted to a computer or laptop.  The goal is to capture the voltage thousands of times per second in an effort to get an almost near approximation to the original audio signal. 

With that in mind, and as you probably already know, sounds are simply pressure waves of air.  Without air, we are unable to hear sound because there is no sound in space. When you listen to a recording on a tape, this is an example of analog recording.  Without the use of cassette tape converters, tape recordings are not able to be transferred to computers or other digital devices like MP3 players or iPods. On the other hand, digital recordings have been sampled so that they are able to be used by a computer or a laptop simply and easily. 

There tremendous benefits to using digital audio as opposed to analog recordings.  See, one of the biggest advantages is that digital files can be easily copied as often as you choose.  You will not lose any sound quality.  What's more you can burn digital files onto a CD or share your files online.  You will also appreciate being able to edit digital audio files to suit your needs.  Although digital audio speakers play a large role in sound quality, there are other determining factors you should be mindful of.

The first is sample rate which is the rate samples are played back or captured.  Sample rate is calculated in Hertz (Hz) or measures in samples per second.  Most audio CDs have a sample rate of 44,100Hz.  You will see it written as 44KHz.  The second factor is sample format or the size of the sample.  In essence sample format is the total number of digits in the digital representation of every sample. 

The higher the sampling rate the more accurate the digital recording of higher frequency sounds.  You want your sampling rate to be no less than twice the highest frequency  you plan to represent.  And remember a great pair of digital audio subwoofers can really crank out the clarity of sound. 

Make no mistake about it, digital audio has been on of the most amazing technological advancements of the century.  There really is no better way to enjoy your audio files than in digital form.  Easily and quickly transfer your favorite music to your iPod or MP3 player for the ultimate listening experience.