Bit depth is how many bits encode each individual sample, and it sets the dynamic range — the distance between the noise floor and the loudest undistorted level. Each bit adds roughly 6 dB, so 16-bit gives about 96 dB (the CD standard) and 24-bit about 144 dB, more than any room or microphone needs. 32-bit float is different: it stores values as floating point, so levels can briefly exceed 0 dBFS without clipping and be pulled back later, which is why field recorders and DAWs use it. The practical rule for video work is capture at 24-bit, mix in 32-bit float, deliver at 16- or 24-bit.
The book · Volume 4 of 7
Audio for Video: A Complete Guide to Sound in Video Products: From PCM and Codecs to Loudness, Accessibility, and Real-Time Voice Processing
Bit depth sets the dynamic range of recorded audio, and most quality complaints blamed on it are really gain staging or clipping. Volume 4 covers bit depth in detail: 16-bit, 24-bit and 32-bit float, dynamic range and the noise floor, sampling and sample rates, and which formats carry each depth. Written by Nikolay Sapunov, CEO at Fora Soft.
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