[pmonk]

Bit Depth refers to how much information is captured with a sample )I.e. 44.1 khz, 48 khz, etc...). Each sample measures the amplitude (shape) of the wave, and higher bit depths allow the analog shape to be more closely matched.

Bit depth is exponential, so a 24-bit sample holds 256 times as much information as a 16-bit sample. A 16-bit sample has a range of 65,536 values, while a 24-bit sample has a range of 16,777,216.


In other words - high bit rate means more info which means better quality of recording!

The obvious downside is a CD-R is 44.1 KHZ sample rate/16 bit.

So 24 bit is only useful if you ((1) got a kick ass sound system on your PC or (2) burn the file onto a DVD-A.