Bit Depth Converter

Bit depth determines the number of possible amplitude values each audio sample can have. 16-bit gives 65,536 levels (CD quality, ~96 dB dynamic range). 24-bit gives over 16 million levels (~144 dB dynamic range) and is the studio standard. 32-bit float uses floating-point math for virtually unlimited headroom during processing.

Common reasons include: mastering for CD (converting 24-bit masters to 16-bit), reducing file size (16-bit files are 33% smaller than 24-bit), matching DAW project settings, and archiving at higher bit depths for future editing flexibility.

Dithering adds a very small amount of random noise when reducing bit depth (e.g. 24-bit to 16-bit). This masks quantization distortion — the "staircase" artifacts that occur when fewer amplitude levels are available. TPDF (Triangular Probability Density Function) is the standard recommended method. Noise-shaped dithering pushes the dither noise into frequencies where human hearing is less sensitive. Dithering is not needed when increasing bit depth.

Bit depth conversion is a precision operation — lossy formats like MP3 and AAC discard audio data during encoding, which defeats the purpose of carefully controlling bit depth. This tool outputs WAV, FLAC, or AIFF to preserve every sample at the exact bit depth you choose. If you need a lossy format afterwards, use the Audio Converter tool.

No. All audio processing happens entirely in your browser using the Web Audio API. Your file is decoded, re-quantized with optional dithering, and re-encoded locally on your device. Nothing is uploaded to any server.