If you’ve started to get into audio, you’ve probably seen something called “bit depth.” The thing is… what the hell is it? Well, we’re here to help. First off, bit depth is one of two metrics involved ...

The size of digital audio samples. Converting voice from analog to digital is typically done with 4-bit and 8-bit samples at 6 or 8 kHz. The standard CD sampling is 16 bits at 44 kHz; however, higher ...

Unlike video tech, which seems to change every 10 years or so, audio has stayed largely the same for decades. If you bought a decent microphone and interface a decade ago or more, there’s a good ...

Primed goes in-depth on the technobabble you hear on Engadget every day -- we dig deep into each topic's history and how it benefits our lives. You can follow the series here. Looking to suggest a ...

We've rounded up some of the best (and still affordable) products for you to get the most bang for your buck. Read now Encoding has always been part of digital audio. Lossless formats encode ...

I use a SoundBlaster Play! 3 to record from an external analog (mono) audio source. This interface can sample in 24 bits at 48kHz. On Mac this is configured via the "Audio MIDI Setup" program. I don't ...

As you have probably noticed, there’s a new trend in the smartphone industry of including “studio quality” audio chips inside modern flagship smartphones. While a 32-bit DAC (digital to analog ...

Our primer on Hi-Res Audio for those who think Spotify and the Apple iPod raised the bar for music playback. In response, Hi-Res Audio (or high resolution audio) may have been a form of pushback ...

Lossless audio is the first step toward audio nirvana. But what is it, does it really make a difference, and how can you get it? Here’s what to know. There’s a difference, of course, between “putting ...

Everybody is familiar with high-definition video these days, which packs more visual information (more pixels) into the shows you see on TV and on Blu-ray discs. But you may not know much about ...

If your audio fidelity experience has only been in the form of CDs, MP3s, or lower-quality streaming services (such as Spotify and YouTube Music), you may be missing out on some audio bliss. There’s a ...