Emu XL-7 & MP-7 User's Group

> What happens to this signal at the receiver end? If the device 
> says it supports 16-bit conversion, can it read the 20-bit data?
> 
> If the device supports 24-bit conversion, does it translate the 20-
> bit data to 24-bit depth?

I believe the answer is yes to both (truncating or zero-extending as
necessary) - certainly I can run optical S/PDIF from my 24-bit desk to
my 16-bit MiniDisc. I've read some comments that the lack of low-order
dithering adds a noise floor, but it's not something I've particularly
noticed (or particularly understood, for that matter).

-- 

  nick rothwell -- composition, systems, performance -- http://www.cassiel.com
  upcoming gig at cybersonica, london, june 5th  -- http://www.cybersonica.org