Anti Aliasing filters

[babadonoParticipant]

Hello All,
I am new here, please don’t bash too hard. I am not an owner as of yet but I am wanting to make the jump from a 48kHz mixer to 96kHz. My question is I see in the specs for the SQ series it only goes up to 20kHz. Shouldn’t a 96kHz machine be able to go higher? Or at least have less sonic effects at high audio frequencies because the anti aliasing filters can be set at higher freqs?

[Heirloom AVMParticipant]

If I understand your question correctly, this may be the answer in regards to specifications:

Human Hearing Spectrum
The average human can hear frequencies between 20Hz to 20kHz. Often, audio equipment with a 20Hz to 20kHz response range will be marketed as having a full-range response. This is in reference to our hearing as 20Hz to 20kHz is the full range of the frequencies we can hear.

Most audio measurements are relative to the frequencies that are audible to human hearing. That is not saying that the board is unable to process frequencies outside of that range.

[Heirloom AVMParticipant]

I should have added that 96kHz is the internal sampling rate, meaning that audio is sampled at twice the speed of 48kHz. The higher sample rate increases the accuracy of the AD/DA conversion and contributes to decreased latency in the signal processing.

[babadonoParticipant]

Stumbled onto a YT video of Keith with Mitch Gallagher of Sweeetwater. Keith states the anti-aliasing is indeed higher and therefore the high freqs that we humans can hear are improved because of the 96KHz sampling. I hope this is just not marketing hype.

[Nicola A&HKeymaster]

Looking at our evaluation data, the input frequency response goes indeed higher on SQ. When routed to a digital output, it’s flat up to 40kHz with a mic gain up to 40dB and no PAD. The PAD introduces a -1dB at 40kHz. Line outputs are -2dB at 40kHz. Our specs list max deviation in dB within the 20Hz-20kHz spectrum because that’s a common measurement in the industry.

As your post refers to anti-aliasing filters, I should add that a benefit of setting higher anti-aliasing filters, other than frequency response, is that you can set a gentler slope for the filter, resulting in less phase distortion in the audible spectrum (often perceived as high frequency smearing). At 44.1kHz for example, you are forced to use steeper filters causing more phase distortion.

[babadonoParticipant]

Thanks Nicola. You have affirmed what my reading and researching has led me to believe. Now I really, really want to hear one of these “desks”. In my room of course and compared to my older tech 48KHz desk.

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