Well, kinda. The DAC would convert the signal at full power, then the pre-amp stage would boost it according to you OS loudness setting in the analogue domain. This is possible, but I don't know if sound cards are actually implemented that way.
I know professional mixing consoles are not (at least not exclusively), but they offset that by calculating everything in 32 bit float and using very high bit length DACs. Sound cards do have a pre-amp stage but I don't know if they are software-controlled.
Well, kinda. The DAC would convert the signal at full power, then the pre-amp stage would boost it according to you OS loudness setting in the analogue domain. This is possible, but I don't know if sound cards are actually implemented that way.`
That's fine but what I was referring to was that after the digital-analog-conversion and the pre-amp now the analog signal that goes out of the audio jack to the speakers has been reduced in range, so on that final path to the speakers you've lost some range.
No, analogue signals do not have a limited range. Analogue dynamic range is only limited by the noise floor of the cable and the resolution of the DACs/ADCs. The DACs/ADCs will probably do 24 bits.
Audio recordings typically do not go beyond 16 bits of dynamic range after mastering. And even before that, microphones can't deliver more than 20. Neither can ears. So that part of the system won't likely be a problem.
Reducing the signal gain in the analogue domain does not decrease its dynamic range, it merely shifts it to a lower range of the same width. Of course, this will only be true in the operating range of the op-amps, but that is typically not a limiting factor.
After the DACs, the signal will likely go through another pre-amp, then main amp in the sound system, then some analogue filters, then loudspeakers. All these are analogue and not usually limiting the dynamic range (though they will add some distortion). Finally, the signal will enter a room with noise aplenty, which will limit the effective dynamic range of the signal significantly. But that is out of control of that volume slider we talked about in the beginning ;-)
No, analogue signals do not have a limited range. Analogue dynamic range is only limited by the noise floor of the cable and the resolution of the DACs/ADCs. The DACs/ADCs will probably do 24 bits.
Of course analog signals have an effective limited range. As you yourself mention the noise floor makes sure of that. Only an idealized analog signal of infinite precision doesn't have a limited range.
After the DACs, the signal will likely go through another pre-amp, then main amp in the sound system, then some analogue filters, then loudspeakers. All these are analogue and not usually limiting the dynamic range (though they will add some distortion).
Precisely. So that's why keeping the signal at as high a level as possible without clipping all the way through the pipeline and only limiting at the end is an advantage. All those stages have their own noise floor. Several other people have mentioned on the thread that this is also the general recommendation for audio work.
Finally, the signal will enter a room with noise aplenty, which will limit the effective dynamic range of the signal significantly. But that is out of control of that volume slider we talked about in the beginning ;-)
That's of course true, and again I admit my ignorance as to how much of a difference this really makes once it gets where it matters, your ears. Originally I was just responding to the idea that using floats in your audio framework eliminated all sources of reduction in precision.
I know professional mixing consoles are not (at least not exclusively), but they offset that by calculating everything in 32 bit float and using very high bit length DACs. Sound cards do have a pre-amp stage but I don't know if they are software-controlled.