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.
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.