11-Jan-2016, 20:59
Unless your equipment is high-end enough to upconvert 16bit signal to 24bit and then apply negative gain, and send the resulting 24bit signal via optical connection, you are still operating at 16bit. Most equipment when given 16bit content, will use that 16bit stream and operate on it, digitally. In regards to upconverting, most equipment doesn't do that, and when it does, does it poorly, as upconversion is a resource-intensive task requiring higher internal resolution as well.
In short, no, losses in fidelity start immediately, and by -48dB you just lost 8bits out of 16bits you had. Apply volume control as late as possible, by configuring properly your analog amplifier/preamp, not by decimating bit-depth in digital domain.
In short, no, losses in fidelity start immediately, and by -48dB you just lost 8bits out of 16bits you had. Apply volume control as late as possible, by configuring properly your analog amplifier/preamp, not by decimating bit-depth in digital domain.
