So why is 48 kHz and its multiples used?

I know the 48 kHz was used on DAT and a 20 bit depth rate then 24 bit. DVD-A used 96/24 and was not as successful as the SACD format. The reason I ask is that much of the HIREZ downloads are 96 or 192 KHz. Many DACs out here only have 1 clock rate, usually it seems to be a multiple of the 44 KHz. Any way if only one clock rate is used, would there not be a problem with the interfere not being an even match? If the clock runs at 192 kHz and a cd is being processed, it would be a multiple of 4.36, and the dac would have to add or subtract samples to match up. DSD is based at 2.8 MHz which is a multiple of the 44 kHz cd, again if the dac has only one clock, and it is based on a 192 kHz frequency so it would not be an even integer on sampling the signal.
Bit depth is not as critical as the extra bits are are a multiple of 8! So 16 bit and 24 bit are easy to deal with, and are not clock related, with maybe the issue of timing issues to convert one bit depth to another i.e. Adding extra null bits to a 16 bit signal, I have not really heard of a 24 bit signal being truncated to a 16 bit signal in a DAC

 

I vaguely remember that was due to cinema running at 24 frames per second, but I am not sure.

EDIT: found the answer on the web.

 

First, a DAC does not simply add duplicate samples or skip samples to change the sampling rate. The sample rate must be properly converted with appropriate anti-aliasing filters and math, either when upsampling or downsampling. It is only a minor help that the sample rates resemble each other and are evenly divisible.

Secondly, there is no loss of fidelity when converting between sampling rates digitally with solid algorithms. Quantization noise and frequency response will be defined by the lowest quality of bit depth and sampling rate of either input or output.

The primary purpose of 48KHz as I see it, besides a Nyquist of 24KHz instead of 22KHz, was to have a different "professional" format that wasn't so easy to work with for consumers and more expensive, discouraging digital adoption and music piracy (thanks to the lobbying of record companies). This went along with AES-EBU connections for pro gear and copy protection in consumer connections and sampling rates.

The 44.1KHz sampling rate has a basis in crystal frequencies from television.

Computer audio is the great "equalizer" to this industry audio nonsense.

 

48KHz was/is used because it is easy "sincable" with PAL & NTSC video.
There are DVD's video's with 96kHz audio.
Talk Talk & Jethro Tull to name some.

 

A broadcast standard( I always use that term loosely).


Dan