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Question Regarding Linear PCM Recording

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Sparda

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  • 4 weeks later...

Okay, so someone else correct me if I'm wrong, but the 'linear' of 'linear pcm' is a modulation of analog recording? Digital recording and playback is random-access, while analog recording is sequential. I've heard that the reason why people prefer analog recording and playback is because a sequential playback/recording happens 'in time' and therefore is less likely to result in audio artifacting during playback and recording. So... that's what the linear part is (I think): sequential (or at least semi-sequential) recording with a digital source.

Sorry if I'm wrong.

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Interesting Number Four, although I really wouldn't know myself.

I have a new question and really didn't feel like starting a new thread for another of my random questions. You know the buds that come with the RH1 for North America... what model is that? Just for future reference.

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"Linear" simply means that representable values are on a linear scale, so 12 is half of 24, etc. This is in contrast to other forms of PCM that decimate or divide the signal to save space, like ADPCM or DPCM. ADPCM tries to represent audio with less bits by "adapting" to the signal through varying levels of quantization, whereas differential PCM (DPCM) only stores the *difference* between samples. ADPCM introduces noise, and as a result, a lower signal-to-noise ratio than LPCM.

Oh, and believe it or not, the basic concept behind PCM goes back even further than WWII: I remember reading about somebody playing around with a mechanical sampler who was able to "sample" and transmit multiplexed phone transmissions at 3000 or 4000Hz......and that was around 1900!

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So it would be correct to say that Linear PCM gives the highest sound quality possible versus other formats? And .wav uses PCM right or could it use other formats?

It is certainly the best possible quality that you cen get from your Hi-MD recorder. CDs are also linear PCM, sampled at 44.1kHz and each sample represented with a 16bit value, which is the same as sample and bitrate used by Hi-MD. That is why people say it's CD quality.

When people say wav-file, they usually mean it is an uncompressed file which stores PCM. Actually a wav-file is simply a container for audio data, so actually a wav-file can contain compressed audio, even mp3. But you may assume that when people say "it's the same as a wav", they mean it is uncompressed audio in linear PCM format.

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