The Theoretical Noise Floor by Bit Depth Calculator shows the dynamic range and quantisation noise floor for any audio bit depth, so you can see exactly what 16-bit, 24-bit, and 32-bit buy you. It is built for audio engineers, podcasters, and anyone choosing a recording format.
How it works
Digital audio stores each sample as one of 2^n levels, where n is the bit
depth. The gap between levels is the quantisation step, and the noise it
introduces sets the theoretical dynamic range. For a full-scale sine wave the
signal-to-quantisation-noise ratio is:
dynamic range (dB) = 6.02 × bits + 1.76
The simpler engineer’s rule drops the constant and uses 6.02 dB per bit, which gives the familiar 96 dB for 16-bit and 144 dB for 24-bit. The calculator shows both, plus the noise floor in dBFS, which is simply the negative of the dynamic range — the level at which quantisation noise sits below full scale.
Why each bit matters
Adding one bit halves the quantisation step, doubling resolution and gaining about 6.02 dB. So 16-bit reaches roughly 98 dB, 20-bit about 122 dB, and 24-bit about 146 dB of theoretical range.
Why 24-bit is enough
Human hearing spans roughly 120 dB from threshold to pain, and no microphone, preamp, or converter has a self-noise floor cleaner than about 130 dB. 24-bit’s ~146 dB already buries the analog noise floor, so extra bits cannot lower audible noise — the electronics dominate. 32-bit float is used for its vast headroom, which prevents clipping during capture and mixing, not for quieter recordings. Capture in 24-bit, mix in 32-bit float for safety, and deliver in whatever the target format requires.