Hi all,
 
Excellent thread. I enjoyed reading everyone's input, and especially Craig's 'Dithering Demystified' article.
 
I just wanted to point out, mainly because I didn't see it mentioned in any of the discussions of where dithering happens (audio export and various plug-in related considerations), that there is also a dithering option in the Preferences dialog under "Audio - Playback and Recording". The reference guide explains that this is for rendering audio in processes such as bouncing, freezing, or applying effects. It looks like it might also apply for importing audio into a track.
 
Thanks for all the great info!
 
Chris