[jetpig]

As for software, just a player that can play it, which VLC and foobar2k (both free) can do. The real trick is having the hardware to play it. Most commonly found PC sound devices only do 16bit /44khz as opposed to 24bit/48khz so the software ends up downsampling the file, which can lead to worse quality than just playing a straight 16/44 file. Most modern home theater stereos can decode 24 bit audio and PC focused devices that support 24 bit files can be had as low as $100. Portable devices that support it will be more pricey. How much of a quality increase you will hear will vary wildly based on a bunch of factors, of course, and those cheapest devices may not even realize any increased quality from higher bitrates at all.

It'll be nice to have for archival, but I doubt I will be able to hear a difference with my listening setups.