The Phantom 8 Bits

So after going through my phase of upsampling, I realized a couple things:

1) Whatever sample rate you're working at, your DAW is converting every audio file into a 32 bit float.
2) The highest resolution D/A converters can output is 24 bits, so you're losing 8 bits compared to what's in your computer. But 24 bit audio still has content down to -144db, meaning sounds far below the noise level of even the most silent of rooms. If you're using 16 bit audio with a 24 bit interface, than you're actually hearing the 8 "phantom" bits out of the 32 total. But...
3) You can't get something from nothing.

The last point sortof hit me when I realized just how much an audio file could change from the time it's recorded (or downloaded) to when it's in your finished track. You ideally want to be conscious of every change the file makes, and make sure that every sample rate conversion, or dither (bit depth conversion) is done at the highest possible quality. Yet even with a CD quality WAV, most files will eventually be converted into MP3, cutting out about ~70% of the audio data. This conversion is what is called a lossy process-Something is lost along the way, so you better keep a backup.

The same thing is true for a higher quality audio file you save at a lower rate. Once it's done you can't go back, even if you convert it back to the higher rate, it will be the same amount of content just "spread out" more, so to speak. This would be a good time to point out that your signal is only as high quality as the lowest quality link in your signal chain. The real mindbender is that even your monitoring setup will greatly effect the choices you make in terms of mixing, and especially mastering. Figuring out what's actually there in the file, is an odd and somewhat Platonic experience. Every way you have of listening to a recording effects it in some way, your CD player will add a small amount of noise, analog formats even more so. Even the best monitoring setup might give you a picture of the mix that completely disappears when you listen to it in your car.

It's technically true, but odd to say that you can't ever actually-hear-a 32 bit file, which is what most DAWs use these days. You can only hear a diluted version of what it is. So what's the real thing? Good question!