The bigger the bit depth, the more faithful it is – the resolution and quality are also better. The more “photos” in a second of sound, the better the sample. It’s as if the digital converter took pictures every second the sound wave comes in. In a CD, every second of sound corresponds to 44 100 captures or 44.1 kHz. To transform an analog sound into digital data, its interface captures thousands of moments of sound in a second. In this situation, we see a very low SNR. Nowadays, almost all digital sound devices used in professional recordings are made to mute their sound outlets when there’s no signal coming in. That small, even “tolerable” noise makes all the difference in live playbacks and performances if it isn’t eliminated in the recording process. In recordings, not having control over the signal/noise ratio can ruin your work. Now let’s talk about how this relates to the digital world. Understanding the signal to noise ratio in digital recordings When you raise the overall gain, the volume of the noise is raised proportionally to the signal. That’s why only raising the gains in the sound device isn’t the perfect solution. SNR is measured in decibels, a measurement defined by logarithmic calculations. The most obvious and immediate thing to do is to raise the volume of the amplifier, right? No! Because when you do that, you raise the sound of the guitar and the noise together. The difference between the signal and the “noise floor” is small, even if the guitar is at its maximum volume. But if the noise is still there, strongly present in the sound that comes out from the amplifier, the SNR is low. The difference between the signal and the noise floor is small, even if the guitar is at its maximum volume. If there's almost no humming, great that means the SNR is high and there won’t be noise interference. The resulting sound will contain the chord you played and the humming sound on the background. Raise the volume of the instrument to the max and play something – preferably a chord and let it resound.Now, plug your guitar to the amplifier.Turn on the guitar amplifier without plugging the instrument.It's the famous humming that sounds a lot like a fridge. When playing and especially when recording, they make a lot of difference.Ī noise common to every equipment is the humming sound: constant intensity, few frequency variations. Besides, as mentioned before, other things can interfere, such as noise from external sources. These noises get stronger with deterioration, age or mishandling of the equipment. Some are insignificant, others more perceptible. Microphones, amplifiers, speakers, headphones, receivers, CD and DVD players, radios, record players, interfaces, sound cards, tables, telephones, smartphones, musical instruments, and even cables! The best thing to do is to surround yourself with quality equipment in a prepared environment and always make sure to pay proper attention to this phenomenon in each production.Įvery audio-related equipment produces noise. That’s why there isn’t one ideal formula to fix the problem. We’re talking about a logarithmic scale, so this is how you do the calculation:īackground noise, also known as “noise floor”, can be caused by many factors, whether it be components from the equipment itself, impedance, electric current, signal interference, reflection in the ambiance, wind, vibrations, variations in temperature, humidity, etc. The signal to noise ratio is measured in decibels. For a piece of equipment with 100 dB of Dynamic Range, there must be about -70dB of noise floor. We calculate SNR by subtracting the noise floor from the value of Dynamic Range. In digital equipment, that means it can withstand signals from -100dB to 0dB, since that’s the highest number in the dBFS scale, the one used in the digital field. Dynamic Range is basically the variation in dB the equipment is capable of receiving. Most professional audio equipment will tell you what the Dynamic Range levels and SNR (signal to noise ratio) are. Or at least it won't be strong enough to interfere in the sound. Thus, the signal will be sent with quality, no distortions and the noise won’t be perceived. The greater the distance between them, the better the signal to noise ratio is. This term represents the proportion between the strength of the unwanted noise and the audio signal emitted. SNR ( signal-to-noise ratio) is the comparison between the highest signal level emitted and the noise that comes out from the outlet of the equipment. The signal to noise ratio is the proportion between the dynamic range and noise floor.
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