"Radium" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi:

Hypothetical situation: a PCM audio signal [24-bit and monoaural] is
transmitted through an analog 3 Mhz AM carrier, an AM receiver on the
other end [tuned to 3 Mhz] picks up the signal, and the reciever is
attached to a device that can recieve, process, and decode the PCM
audio back to analog and then send it to a loudspeaker. However -- in
this theoretical situation -- the environment is filled with EMI, RFI,
and heterodynes that affect all AM stations.

My question: Will the received PCM audio signal remain noticeably
"clean" to the listener or will he/she notice the EMI, RFI, and
heterodynes affecting the audio?

Depends.
What is the transmitter power? What is the separation
between the transmitter and receiver?


I ask because I think -- but definitely don't know -- that because the
received signal is digital, it is less likely that the EMI, RFI, and
heterodynes would cause noticeable auditory disruptions when compared
to analog. Do I guess correct?

If there is a decent SNR you are correct.
If the SNR falls below a certain value then
the reverse is true.