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Sample Rates and Bit Depths

Digital recordings are currently available at sample rates from 

44k to 192k, with 384k recordings just starting to become 

available. Files created directly from CDs and CD quality 

downloads have a bit depth of 16 bits, while most high 

res downloads are 24 bits. Most audio mastering software 

supports bit depths of 32 bits, so we can expect to start 

seeing files at that bit depth eventually. 
The Big Ego supports all standard sample rates between 44k 

and 384k, and all standard bit depths from 16 bits to 32 bits. 

The row of LEDs on your Big Ego show you the sample rate of 

whatever is currently playing, so you’ll always know exactly 

what your computer is sending to your Big Ego.

Lossless vs Lossy Compression

Digital audio files take up a significant amount of storage 

space, especially at higher sample rates and bit depths, so 

various methods have been developed to compress them so 

you can get more songs on your music player or hard disk. 

These fall into two categories.

Lossless compression

 - uses math to store the data more 

efficiently, while still preserving every single bit of the 

original, and all of the original quality. Common lossless file 

formats include FLAC and ALAC.    

Lossy compression

 - can fit a lot more music into a much 

smaller space. Unfortunately, it does this by discarding 

information. Several methods of lossy compression compete 

to give you the smallest files with the least loss of quality, but 

most audiophiles consider any deliberate reduction in sound 

Summary of Contents for Big Ego

Page 1: ......

Page 2: ...h Quick Start If you have an Apple computer just connect the USB Input on your Big Ego to an available USB port on your computer and plug in your headphones If you have a Windows computer your Big Ego...

Page 3: ...t an external USB sound card and you ll be able to play anything through your Big Ego that you can play on your computer The high quality low impedance headphone output will drive all standard headpho...

Page 4: ...own volume controls The Toslink digital output carries a S PDIF version of the digital audio at the input which can be routed to another DAC or a digital input on a pre pro or AVR Pressing the Output...

Page 5: ...Finder from the dock Select Applications Double click on Utilities Double click on Audio MIDI Setup Click on Emotiva Big Ego on the left to select it Click on the little gear on the bottom left Click...

Page 6: ...you only play files below 96k or you re using your Big Ego on a friend s machine your Big Ego has a special mode that supports up to 96k without having to install drivers To use this Driverless Mode...

Page 7: ...rol Panel To tell your Windows 8 1 computer to use Big Ego Connect your Big Ego to a USB port on your computer On your computer sweep in from the right edge of your touch screen or bump your mouse aga...

Page 8: ...ly Apple Computers By default Apple computers always play audio files at a single preset sample rate If you want to play all high resolution audio files at full quality on an Apple computer you ll hav...

Page 9: ...stall our drivers to unleash the full potential of the Big Ego with a Windows computer Some versions of Linux also support UAC2 but not all Since it isn t always convenient to install drivers on a Win...

Page 10: ...g Ego will switch to the new filter and resume normal operation You will hear a slight period of silence when the filter switch occurs The Symmetrical filter F1 is a classical design which combines eq...

Page 11: ...of ringing is added to the signal While this ringing is not audible as a separate sound its presence can subtly alter the sound character of the output The first picture on the left shows what a theor...

Page 12: ...ndicating which filter is currently selected While the first LED is still blinking press the Filter Select Switch repeatedly to cycle through the available filters until the fourth LED is lit HP Headp...

Page 13: ...onvert that analog signal into digital audio we start with a clock that marks off equal amounts of time For each tick of our clock we measure the voltage of the signal and save it as a number The pict...

Page 14: ...surement which determines how accurately we can store each value is called the bit depth The bit depth used by standard CD audio is 16 bits which means 16 digits in binary The math there tells us that...

Page 15: ...w exactly what your computer is sending to your Big Ego Lossless vs Lossy Compression Digital audio files take up a significant amount of storage space especially at higher sample rates and bit depths...

Page 16: ...CDs The most common formats for high resolution audio at the moment are 24 96 and 24 192 with the files themselves being either uncompressed WAV files or in the lossless FLAC or ALAC formats High reso...

Page 17: ...ple Rates Supported Apple computers 44 1k 384k no drivers required Windows computers 44 1k 384k with free drivers Windows computers 44 1k 96k driverless Bit Depths Supported 16 bits 24 bits 32 bits Fr...

Page 18: ...ter Make sure that the volume control is not set all the way down Problem You re playing high resolution files but the Big Ego still shows a 44k sample rate Check for Your computer or player software...

Page 19: ...Emotiva digital audio products player software and other related topics It s a great place to read up on digital audio and interact with other digital audio fans All information contained in this man...

Page 20: ...Emotiva Audio Corporation 135 Southeast Parkway Court Franklin TN 37064 www emotiva com...

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