Decibels to equivalent bits
Type a value in dB to get it in bits instantly.
9.673bits
That's 10× as clean as a good hi-fi amplifier, while the edge of audibility is 5× worse. That is about -60 dB.
What it means
How clean is that?
A single THD number hides which harmonics are present. Low-order distortion is far less audible than the same amount of high-order.
The math
How to convert dB to bits
Percent and decibels are the same figure: dB = 20 × log₁₀(% ÷ 100), and back again % = 10^(dB ÷ 20) × 100. Each factor of ten is 20 dB, and each bit of resolution about 6 dB.
Example: -60 dB = 9.6733 bits.
Every unit
Your distortion in every unit
Tables
dB to bits conversion table
| dB | bits |
|---|---|
| -120 dB | 19.6391 bits |
| -100 dB | 16.3172 bits |
| -80 dB | 12.9952 bits |
| -70.5 dB | 11.4173 bits |
| -60 dB | 9.6733 bits |
| -50.5 dB | 8.09539 bits |
| -40 dB | 6.35137 bits |
| -30.5 dB | 4.77346 bits |
| -20 dB | 3.02945 bits |
| -10.5 dB | 1.45153 bits |
bits to dB conversion table
| bits | dB |
|---|---|
| 0.0001 bits | -1.76151 dB |
| 0.001 bits | -1.76693 dB |
| 0.01 bits | -1.82112 dB |
| 0.03 bits | -1.94153 dB |
| 0.1 bits | -2.36297 dB |
| 0.3 bits | -3.56709 dB |
| 1 bits | -7.78151 dB |
| 3 bits | -19.8227 dB |
| 10 bits | -61.9669 dB |
| 30 bits | -182.379 dB |
Quick answers
Quick answers
- How many bits is 1 dB?
- 1 dB is -0.458578 bits.
- How many bits is 10 dB?
- 10 dB is -1.95345 bits.
- How many bits is -60 dB?
- -60 dB is 9.6733 bits.
The units
About these units
Decibels (dB)
How digital audio specifications quote it. Negative and below the signal.
Equivalent bits (bits)
The bit depth whose quantization noise matches this distortion.
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