# Apparent bit resolution

**URL:** <https://forums.steinberg.net/t/apparent-bit-resolution/611432>\
**Category:** WaveLab\
**Tags:** wavelab-7\
**Created:** [January 18, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/apparent-bit-resolution/611432 "2012-01-18T18:49:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Scramble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@Scramble](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/Scramble)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/apparent-bit-resolution/611432/1 "2012-01-18T18:49:01Z")

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I load a 32-bit wav file. I select Global Analysis. I run the analysis to find out the ‘Apparent Bit Resolution’. It tells me some number in the 40’s. for example, the one I just tried a moment ago said ‘47-bit’. Why does it always do this?

(It used to always do this in Wavelab 6 as well. Cubase, on the other hand, always correctly identifies a 32-bit file as a 32-bit file).

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PG1](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/pg1/32/51201_2.png) [@PG1](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/PG1)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/apparent-bit-resolution/611432/2 "2012-01-18T21:30:41Z")

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This function returns the smallest value between two successive samples. This is why you get “strange” results. Understand anything above 24 as a 32 bit file.