
BCD Audio press announcement
London, 2nd July 2015
Just when you thought you understood 0dBFS and audio levels, along comes somebody who wants to tear up the rule book!.
The arrival of the CD / AES3/EBU format in the 1980s was a pivotal point for the industry, not least because it became a standard across all areas of audio, but also because it is alive and well in the 21st century. During the lifespan of the AES3 format we have seen the available sample rates extended to 96 and 192KHz, but no other extensions in quality. The transport of compressed audio streams was not a step towards better quality, but it did enable multichannel audio to be transported in the bandwidth available from a 48KHz stereo stream, so has found a place in Broadcasting. No further innovations in sound quality have occurred, although the adoption of the AES3 24bit PCM signal into MADI and SDI embedded audio should be seen as a positive step in professional audio and broadcasting generally.
The big weakness of AES3 is the use of 24bit linear PCM rather than something with better dynamic range, given that it is now being used to connect together 32bit or better processing blocks.
Also, a definition of 0dBFS = +18dBU or similar made sense in the days of 16-20bit converters, and continues to make sense for Audio distribution of controlled signals, but is responsible for inadequate overload margin for uncontrolled signals ( from a stage box for example ) , and was increasingly ignored for CD mastering, where the rule is to create a master to 0dBFS with the result that every piece of material has the same peak level, and the listener regularly has to reach for the volume control to set up the desired listening level.
BCD Audio have invented a solution to this level problem, which is based upon a 20bit PCM signal, and a 4bit scale factor. As the total number of bits is the same as AES3, it is transportable with all existing AES3, MADI, Networking and SDI embedded audio links. The 20bit PCM section ensures distortion remains below 0.00008%, and the scale factor allows the dynamic range to be better than 32bit PCM. If adopted properly audio clipping would be consigned to history, and 0dBFS would be an aspiration , rather than a limit!
The main application is in stage box links, digital microphones, and the interconnection of audio equipment in a recording environment, where the added dynamic range and absence of digital clip would transform our industry. There are also 32bit Analogue to Digital, Digital to Analogue and sample rate converter chips coming onto the market, so there is a need to transport at least 32bit linear PCM over existing 24bit digital links.It is not intended to replace 24bit PCM in a controlled level situation, as AES3 with 24bit PCM is perfectly good in this area.
BCD Audio have created a test box that can take in standard AES3 , apply gain , and convert to scaled AES3. We have a version of our AMU that can auto-detect standard or scaled AES3, and pass the signal onto headphones, loudspeakers and a standard AES3 output for measurement. Now gain can applied to a 0dBFS peaking signal, transported with existing 24bit links, and reproduced without clip.
This setup is available for Industry professionals to borrow, and evaluate the sound quality of the architecture, and interested parties are welcome to contact Mike Law at BCD Audio to arrange a demonstration
We have also created a white paper that documents the experiments that were made in late 2014, and this may be downloaded HERE >>
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
25/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
25/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
25/03/2026
Starfish highlights flexible TS Splicer releases and new Monitoring Dashboard at...
25/03/2026
XLNTSOUND Elevates Video Production with Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton March 24, 2026
0 Comments
Audio company upgrades workflow with Blackmagic Cine...
25/03/2026
First Time Exhibitor IPC Introduces One Link Keypanels for One Connect Intercom ...
24/03/2026
Utah Scientific to Showcase a Variety of Hybrid SDI/IP Innovations at the 2026 N...
24/03/2026
Mediaproxy will showcase an updated version of its LogPlayer interface at NAB Sh...
24/03/2026
C gep de Jonqui re, a public college in Qu bec, has upgraded its TV studio complex with five Calrec Brio consoles and a Dante IP network. The installation was c...
24/03/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has announced new and r...
24/03/2026
National Telecom Public Company Limited (NT) used Ateme's KYRION platform fo...
24/03/2026
Grass Valley has expanded its relationship with ImSoPROD, the TV production entity of FDJ United, with the deployment of LDX C98 compact cameras across its nati...
24/03/2026
The E.W. Scripps Company is launching Scripps Sports Network (SSN), a free, ad-s...
24/03/2026
NEP Group has launched NEP Platform, a new software orchestration system that un...
24/03/2026
Daktronics has partnered with the Arizona Diamondbacks to design, manufacture and install a new LED video display and three ribbon boards at Chase Field in Phoe...
24/03/2026
Grass Valley has completed an upgrade of University of Pittsburgh Athletics'...
24/03/2026
Daktronics is upgrading eight LED displays at Wrigley Field in Chicago, totaling more than 8,300 square feet, using the Daktronics Renew product line. The upgra...
24/03/2026
Advanced Systems Group has appointed Kevin Poole as Senior Project and Support Manager within the ASG Workflow and Tools practice. The position is newly created...
24/03/2026
In an increasingly streaming-centric world, protecting high-value live sports co...
24/03/2026
Mediaproxy will showcase an updated version of its LogPlayer interface at NAB Show, April 19-22 in Las Vegas, booth W1423. The update includes AI tools, native ...
24/03/2026
The production studio has worked with content juggernauts such as MrBeast, The R...
24/03/2026
The event will also feature a State of the Industry address from sports-media veteran and strategic advisor Patrick Crakes....
24/03/2026
Victory , a free sports streaming service owned by A Parent Media Co. (APMC), has launched its NWSL Sunday Night Soccer franchise. The platform says the launch ...
24/03/2026
Sports content in free streaming is still relatively scant, but it's growing, right along with its monetization capabilities
Streaming-tech company Wurl re...
24/03/2026
Directed by Greg DeHart, the doc will feature Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famers...
24/03/2026
For the first time ever, Tubi - Fox's free streaming service - is working w...
24/03/2026
As the music industry gathers for Canada's Juno Awards, the local edition of...
24/03/2026
Behind every great song is a complex web of people, stories, and inspirations th...
24/03/2026
Few filmmakers have shaped popular cinema as profoundly as Steven Spielberg. So ...
24/03/2026
Latest Eurorack modules revealed
ALM/Busy Circuits have just introduced another two Eurorack modules, delivering a powerful new modulator that builds on the...
24/03/2026
Smallest, most affordable MPC to date
Akai Pro have just introduced their most accessible standalone sampler to date, making the iconic MPC experience avail...
24/03/2026
Create & manage presets on Windows & macOS
Electro-Harmonix have announced that their free Mac/Windows application now allows users of their Oceans Abyss re...
24/03/2026
Rohde & Schwarz amplifiers enable high-field immunity testing expansion at IB Le...
24/03/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites eligible Tier 1 and 2 South African production companies to submit proposals to serve as the Facilitating ...
24/03/2026
L3Harris ramps up production of its VAMPIRE C-UxS system....
24/03/2026
For more than 70 years, L3Harris has delivered essential fuzes and safe-and-arm solutions that bring the might to multi-domain battlefields across the globe, ...
24/03/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({...
24/03/2026
Rick Bernier reflects on a career that has taken him to the very top of live broadcast audio. As a Senior Broadcast Audio A1 Engineer and Music Director, he has...
24/03/2026
Grass Valley has strengthened its long-standing relationship with ImSoPROD, the TV production entity of the FDJ United, with the deployment of Grass Valley LDX ...
24/03/2026
At the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas, Utah Scientific will spotlight its expanding portfolio of hybrid SDI/IP routing, conversion, control, and signal management s...
24/03/2026
Fresh off its global reveal at ISE 2026 in Barcelona, the new V410 live 4K encoder/decoder from Miri Technologies Inc. will make its North American debut at the...
24/03/2026
Cinegy GmbH, premier provider of software-defined television technology, will show how its solutions answer the real challenges facing content creators and broa...
24/03/2026
Canberra-based radio and online broadcast network ArtSound FM (https://artsound.fm/) has invested in DHD audio mixing consoles for two new studios at its headqu...
24/03/2026
IBC today announced the nine projects selected for its 2026 Accelerator Media Innovation Programme, bringing together organisations from across broadcast, strea...
24/03/2026
Mediaproxy, the global standard for software-based IP compliance monitoring and multiviewing solutions, will showcase the next generation of its industry-leadin...
24/03/2026
Underscoring its global reputation as one of Canada's most renowned colleges for television production, the C gep de Jonqui re public college in Qu bec has ...