digital recording

Technique whereby the pressure of sound waves is sampled more than 30,000 times a second and the values converted by computer into precise numerical values. These are recorded and, during playback, are reconverted to sound waves.

This technique can give very high-quality reproduction. The numerical values converted by computer represent the original sound-wave form exactly and are recorded on compact disc or other media. When this is played back, the exact values are retrieved and the sound does not deteriorate with repeated playback, unlike previous vinyl records or magnetic tape methods. When the signal is fed via an amplifier to a loudspeaker, sound waves exactly like the original ones are reproduced.