What is an ADC (Analog to Digital Conversion)?

Analog-to-digital conversion, often abbreviated as ADC, is the process of converting an analog audio signal into a digital format that computers and digital audio systems can process and store.

Sound in the real world exists as continuous analog waves. During analog-to-digital conversion, an analog-to-digital converter measures the signal at extremely fast intervals and converts those measurements into digital data. This process is known as sampling, and the accuracy of the conversion depends on factors such as sample rate and bit depth.

ADC is a fundamental part of modern audio technology. It is used in devices such as audio interfaces, digital mixers, recording systems, and smartphones to transform microphone or instrument signals into digital audio that can be edited, processed, stored, and played back by computers and digital audio workstations.