Audio Systems: Why is more than 44.1 sample rate necessary?, linear pcm, sampling rate

Question
QUESTION: Hi:

Why are newer digital audio devices recording linear PCM at sample-rate higher than 44.1 KHz? Why is this necessary for LPCM? I can understand for SACD and DSD but why would a Wave/CD-audio file require any sample-rate higher than 44.1 KHz? Isn't 44.1 KHz sufficient to cover the entire human hearing range?

The maximum audio sample-rate I've read about is 192 KHz for DVD-audio. Again, I must ask, why is such a high sample-rate necessary unless you want to entertain dogs or bats whose hearing range can go well up to 100 KHz?


Thanks,

Green

ANSWER: The higher the sampling rate the more accurate the reproduction.  The human ear is an analog receiver.  While most modern music is less effected by the sampling rate, if you were to listen to classical music, you would hear the difference.  The higher sampling rate will reproduce what is called the "warmth" of the music.  This is a hard thing to describe, but it does exist.  Hard core classical enthusiasts will agree, that vinyl records provide a more accurate reproduction of actual performances than CDs.  Records are analog recordings.  Interestingly enough, many recording studios still record in analog to tape before processing digitally...
Dan

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: What would you say is the minimum sample rate required to coherently-record the "warmth" and all the other musical qualities that would be left in the dust if 44.1 kHz was used?

http://jn.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/83/6/3548

http://www.cco.caltech.edu/%7eboyk/spectra/spectra.htm

According to the second link, humans can hear up to 102.4 KHz. Since Nyquist requires that the sample rate be at least 2x the maximum frequency, I am guessing the minimum sample rate is 204.8 KHz. Right? Or to be safe, use 2.5x the max frequency and make the sample rate 256 KHz? Or is this overkill?


Thanks,

Green

Answer
I'm not sure about your facts here.  As far as I know, no human can hear over 20KHz.  The sampling rate will effect not only the sound directly heard but also the subtle harmonics that may even be felt rather than heard.  Music is an experience not only processed by the ears.  Try different sampling rates for different types of sounds and you will most likely hear the difference.  I'd suggest experimentation.  There is no hard and fast rule about what works. All will have to compromize somewhere.
Dan