# Bit Depth Analyzer Inspect container precision and per-channel integer low-bit occupancy; download an offline ZIP report. > Canonical page: https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/bit-depth-analyzer - **Category:** Media - **Keywords:** audio, bit depth, integer PCM, low bits, FLAC ## Overview Analyze the whole file, up to 100 MiB and 180 seconds, mono/stereo at 8–96 kHz. Integer PCM and FLAC only: exact signed int32 samples reveal the rightmost occupied bit and common low zero bits. Amplitude usage is reported separately. Float and lossy audio produce a not-applicable report; all-zero channels are indeterminate. Dither and processing can occupy low bits. This is not ENOB, proof of original recording depth, or a quality score. No normalization, resampling or audio changes. ## Inputs - **Audio file** (file) ## When to use - Verify whether a 24-bit PCM or FLAC deliverable contains true low-bit activity or merely 16-bit audio padded with trailing zero bits. - Inspect multichannel or stereo files to confirm per-channel integer bit occupancy and common low-bit alignment before final delivery. - Generate an offline audit ZIP report documenting container depth versus active integer bit usage for quality control handoffs. ## How it works - Upload a mono or stereo audio file up to 100 MiB and 180 seconds in duration, sampled between 8 kHz and 96 kHz. - The analyzer decodes integer PCM or FLAC streams into exact signed 32-bit integer samples across each audio channel. - It scans the sample stream to calculate common low zero bits, rightmost occupied bit depth, and peak amplitude bit usage. - Download a comprehensive offline ZIP archive containing the per-channel bit occupancy findings and container details. ## Use cases - Mastering delivery verification: Confirming that exported 24-bit master files are not zero-padded 16-bit transfers. - Archival audio ingest: Documenting exact container metadata and sample bit occupancy in preservation repositories. - Post-production quality control: Checking stems for accidental bit truncations or lingering low-bit zero padding across channels. ## Frequently asked questions ### What audio formats does this tool analyze? It provides full bit-occupancy analysis for integer PCM and FLAC files. Floating-point and lossy formats yield a not-applicable report. ### Does this tool alter or re-encode my audio file? No. The analyzer reads the raw sample values without applying normalization, resampling, dithering, or any audio modifications. ### Does rightmost occupied depth prove the original recording bit depth? No. Downstream processing, dither, and gain adjustments populate lower bits, so it measures current bit occupancy, not recording history or ENOB. ### What file size and length limitations apply? The analyzer accepts audio files up to 100 MiB, durations up to 180 seconds, and sample rates from 8 kHz to 96 kHz in mono or stereo. ### Why does a completely silent channel return an indeterminate result? An all-zero channel has no active bits to inspect, making it mathematically impossible to determine trailing bit alignment. ## Related tools - [Audio Chord Progression Detector](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/audio-chord-progression-detector): Estimate an audio file's chord sequence locally and download CSV, JSON, SVG, and method notes in one ZIP. - [Audio SNR Estimator](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/audio-snr-estimator): Estimate per-channel signal-to-noise ratio from separate program and noise-only regions, with an offline ZIP report. - [Batch Audio Converter](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/audio-batch-converter): Convert multiple audio files between different formats like MP3, WAV, FLAC, AAC, OGG, Opus with quality settings and batch processing - [Audio Codec Swap](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/audio-codec-swap): Change the codec of an audio file within a chosen output format - [Audio Format Converter](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/audio-converter): Convert audio files between different formats like MP3, WAV, FLAC, AAC, OGG with quality settings and volume adjustment - [Audio Noise Floor Timeline](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/audio-noise-floor-timeline): Track a heuristic low-level RMS proxy over time, with separate digital-silence counts and per-channel change flags. - [Image Particle Music Visualizer](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/image-particle-music-visualizer): Turn a picture into an audio-reactive point cloud. Preview locally, then export a 30 fps MP4 with music, a PNG poster and settings JSON. - [Hearing Safety Checker](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/audio-hearing-safety-checker): Estimate your listening-exposure risk against NIOSH (85 dBA/8h, 3 dB exchange), OSHA (90 dBA/8h, 5 dB) and WHO-ITU H.870 weekly allowance — enter level, duration and sessions, or upload the audio you listen to for measured duration and loudness. ## Samples - [Copyright-Free FLAC Audio Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/flac-samples): Lossless FLAC audio samples for testing and development, mirrored from MP3 set with nature sounds and meditation music - [Copyright-Free WAV Audio Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/wav-samples): Uncompressed PCM WAV audio samples for testing and development, mirrored from MP3 set with nature sounds and meditation music - [Copyright-Free MP3 Audio Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/mp3-samples): Collection of royalty-free audio samples for testing and development purposes including nature sounds, meditation music, and ambient audio - [Copyright-Free M4A Audio Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/m4a-samples): Apple iTunes compatible M4A audio samples with AAC encoding, optimized for quality and file size balance ## Related content - [Recording Intake QC: Noise Changes, SNR and Bit-Depth Review](https://elysiatools.com/en/hubs/recording-intake-noise-snr-and-bit-depth-review): Preserve incoming recordings, inspect low-level changes, estimate SNR only with a valid noise reference and review integer bit occupancy before handing off a traceable intake decision.