Learn the signal path

Digital audio, explained carefully.

These guides explain the terms Nyquist shows in its file inspector and signal path. They separate file properties, transport behavior, and output limits so one number never has to stand in for the whole listening chain.

  • Files

    Sample rate and bit depth

    What the two measurements describe, why they are independent, and where output limits enter.

  • Output

    Bit-perfect audio

    A strict definition, what Nyquist can observe, and why sample-rate matching is not the whole claim.

  • Files

    Lossless audio

    How lossless compression differs from lossy encoding, sample rate, and mastering quality.

  • Formats

    FLAC vs. ALAC

    Two lossless codecs, their containers and ecosystems, and why decoded audio can be equivalent.

  • Hardware

    Using a USB DAC

    What a DAC changes technically on Mac and which decisions remain with the hardware.

  • Playback

    Gapless playback

    Why artificial pauses happen and how Nyquist schedules compatible consecutive tracks.

  • Output

    The audio signal path

    Follow a file through decoding, processing, routing, and the final output device.

  • Comparison

    Bluetooth vs. USB audio

    Codec transport versus a direct digital device path, without assuming either device sounds better.

  • Network audio

    AirPlay audio

    Why AirPlay handling varies by sender and receiver, and what Nyquist can accurately report.