Disclaimer:

Dithering happens at very low levels and that our files display dithering "under a microscope". (54 dB of gain have been added AFTER dithering in order to eleiminate playback equipment distortion on your end and take the noise characteristics of your system out of the test equation to some extent.)

This web site shows you examples of what happens with different noise shaping algorithms AT A VERY LOW LEVEL. This test has no agenda. Whatever you make of the results is up to you. What you will hear is that the perceived amount and sound of signal added by different noise shaping algorithms varies.


For your understanding of the subject matter:

Dithering is a mechanism to provide a digital PCM recording system with an ability to be perfect within its specifications with regards to signal correlated distortion. Without dithering, the lower the signal, the higher the correlated distortion. With dithering, correlated distortion is constant across the specified dynamic range.

Noise shaping however is a way of shaping the dithering noise to make it less noticeable, more pleasant in sound and less obstructive to the audio signal. This is what the different manufacturers are trying to sell you. All of the dithering algorithms that you will hear work. They successfully toggle the least signifficant bit and thus qualify as dither. How well they perform in their attempt of sounding pleasant and non-obstructive to the signal (thus revealing additional dynamic range) is what you yourself can judge by listening.

And now, finally, the samples: