On Mon, Mar 6, 2017 at 8:59 PM, Taylor <tay10r(a)protonmail.com> wrote: Nobody needs double precision when moving data between host and plugins (or from one plugin to another). You might be able to make a case for double precision math inside a plugin (and indeed several people have). But once that particular math is done, single precision is more than adequate. As to why.... because everybody else who knew anything about this stuff was using 32 bit floating point already. No existing plugin API supports double precision floating point as a standard sample format (you could do it in AU, but it would involve a converter to/from single precision on either side of the plugin that asks for this.

On Mon, Mar 06, 2017 at 02:59:47PM -0500, Taylor wrote: Because 32-bit floating point already provides more dynamic range than is required for audio signals. Even 24-bit fixed point has a dynamic range of 145 dB. Which means it can at the same time represent a signal that is so low that you can't hear it, and one so loud that will damage your ears beyond repair. Even the best analog hardware, including AD and DA converters, and even using high 'professional' signal levels, is no better than 21 or maybe 22 bits. This is not going to change, it's the consequence of basic physics. Using double precision doesn't provide any advantage. The only place where it may be required is internally in some DSP algorithms (e.g. some filter types). But even this can be avoided in most cases by good design. If you read anything on the web claiming that high quality audio requires 32 bits converters or double precision you can be sure this is snake oil - someone trying to make money by exploiting ignorance. Don't think so, since there's no point in doing that. Ciao, -- FA A world of exhaustive, reliable metadata would be an utopia. It's also a pipe-dream, founded on self-delusion, nerd hubris and hysterically inflated market opportunities. (Cory Doctorow)