Myth: digital audio sources shouldn’t be set to 100%

There’s a common myth that digital audio sources shouldn’t be set to 100%.

The explanations for this belief vary between people but here’s why they’re wrong:

Setting digital audio sources to 100% volume is recommended because it preserves the maximum bit depth and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), avoiding the loss of precision that occurs when digital volume controls reduce the amplitude of the signal.

Instead, volume control should be managed in the analog domain by adjusting the amplifier or powered speakers, which allows the digital signal to be as clean and detailed as possible before any volume scaling occurs.

Why digital volume reduction is problematic:

• Reduced precision

  • Software-based volume controls in digital audio systems (like PCs or phones) work by reducing the amplitude of the digital waveform.

  • This is equivalent to using fewer bits to represent each sample, effectively lowering the bit depth and decreasing the number of available amplitude values.

    
    

• Loss of detail, raised noise floor and increased likelihood of quantization errors

  • Reducing bit depth/dynamic range reduces the precision of the digital-to-analog converter (DAC), raises the noise floor and increases the likelihood of quantization errors, leading to more potential for noise in the signal.

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