diff --git a/esphome/components/es8156/audio_dac.py b/esphome/components/es8156/audio_dac.py
index b9d8eae6b0..a805fb3f70 100644
--- a/esphome/components/es8156/audio_dac.py
+++ b/esphome/components/es8156/audio_dac.py
@@ -2,11 +2,14 @@ import esphome.codegen as cg
 from esphome.components import i2c
 from esphome.components.audio_dac import AudioDac
 import esphome.config_validation as cv
-from esphome.const import CONF_ID
+from esphome.const import CONF_BITS_PER_SAMPLE, CONF_ID
+import esphome.final_validate as fv
 
 CODEOWNERS = ["@kbx81"]
 DEPENDENCIES = ["i2c"]
 
+CONF_AUDIO_DAC = "audio_dac"
+
 es8156_ns = cg.esphome_ns.namespace("es8156")
 ES8156 = es8156_ns.class_("ES8156", AudioDac, cg.Component, i2c.I2CDevice)
 
@@ -21,6 +24,29 @@ CONFIG_SCHEMA = (
 )
 
 
+def _final_validate(config):
+    full_config = fv.full_config.get()
+
+    # Check all speaker configurations for ones that reference this es8156
+    speaker_configs = full_config.get("speaker", [])
+    for speaker_config in speaker_configs:
+        audio_dac_id = speaker_config.get(CONF_AUDIO_DAC)
+        if (
+            audio_dac_id is not None
+            and audio_dac_id == config[CONF_ID]
+            and (bits_per_sample := speaker_config.get(CONF_BITS_PER_SAMPLE))
+            is not None
+            and bits_per_sample > 24
+        ):
+            raise cv.Invalid(
+                f"ES8156 does not support more than 24 bits per sample. "
+                f"The speaker referencing this audio_dac has bits_per_sample set to {bits_per_sample}."
+            )
+
+
+FINAL_VALIDATE_SCHEMA = _final_validate
+
+
 async def to_code(config):
     var = cg.new_Pvariable(config[CONF_ID])
     await cg.register_component(var, config)
diff --git a/esphome/components/es8156/es8156.cpp b/esphome/components/es8156/es8156.cpp
index e84252efe2..961dc24b29 100644
--- a/esphome/components/es8156/es8156.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/es8156/es8156.cpp
@@ -17,24 +17,61 @@ static const char *const TAG = "es8156";
   }
 
 void ES8156::setup() {
+  // REG02 MODE CONFIG 1: Enable software mode for I2C control of volume/mute
+  // Bit 2: SOFT_MODE_SEL=1 (software mode enabled)
   ES8156_ERROR_FAILED(this->write_byte(ES8156_REG02_SCLK_MODE, 0x04));
+
+  // Analog system configuration (active-low power down bits, active-high enables)
+  // REG20 ANALOG SYSTEM: Configure analog signal path
   ES8156_ERROR_FAILED(this->write_byte(ES8156_REG20_ANALOG_SYS1, 0x2A));
+
+  // REG21 ANALOG SYSTEM: VSEL=0x1C (bias level ~120%), normal VREF ramp speed
   ES8156_ERROR_FAILED(this->write_byte(ES8156_REG21_ANALOG_SYS2, 0x3C));
+
+  // REG22 ANALOG SYSTEM: Line out mode (HPSW=0), OUT_MUTE=0 (not muted)
   ES8156_ERROR_FAILED(this->write_byte(ES8156_REG22_ANALOG_SYS3, 0x00));
+
+  // REG24 ANALOG SYSTEM: Low power mode for VREFBUF, HPCOM, DACVRP; DAC normal power
+  // Bits 2:0 = 0x07: LPVREFBUF=1, LPHPCOM=1, LPDACVRP=1, LPDAC=0
   ES8156_ERROR_FAILED(this->write_byte(ES8156_REG24_ANALOG_LP, 0x07));
+
+  // REG23 ANALOG SYSTEM: Lowest bias (IBIAS_SW=0), VMIDLVL=VDDA/2, normal impedance
   ES8156_ERROR_FAILED(this->write_byte(ES8156_REG23_ANALOG_SYS4, 0x00));
 
+  // Timing and interface configuration
+  // REG0A/0B TIME CONTROL: Fast state machine transitions
   ES8156_ERROR_FAILED(this->write_byte(ES8156_REG0A_TIME_CONTROL1, 0x01));
   ES8156_ERROR_FAILED(this->write_byte(ES8156_REG0B_TIME_CONTROL2, 0x01));
+
+  // REG11 SDP INTERFACE CONFIG: Default I2S format (24-bit, I2S mode)
   ES8156_ERROR_FAILED(this->write_byte(ES8156_REG11_DAC_SDP, 0x00));
+
+  // REG19 EQ CONTROL 1: EQ disabled (EQ_ON=0), EQ_BAND_NUM=2
   ES8156_ERROR_FAILED(this->write_byte(ES8156_REG19_EQ_CONTROL1, 0x20));
 
+  // REG0D P2S CONTROL: Parallel-to-serial converter settings
   ES8156_ERROR_FAILED(this->write_byte(ES8156_REG0D_P2S_CONTROL, 0x14));
+
+  // REG09 MISC CONTROL 2: Default settings
   ES8156_ERROR_FAILED(this->write_byte(ES8156_REG09_MISC_CONTROL2, 0x00));
+
+  // REG18 MISC CONTROL 3: Stereo channel routing, no inversion
+  // Bits 5:4 CHN_CROSS: 0=L→L/R→R, 1=L to both, 2=R to both, 3=swap L/R
+  // Bits 3:2: LCH_INV/RCH_INV channel inversion
   ES8156_ERROR_FAILED(this->write_byte(ES8156_REG18_MISC_CONTROL3, 0x00));
+
+  // REG08 CLOCK OFF: Enable all internal clocks (0x3F = all clock gates open)
   ES8156_ERROR_FAILED(this->write_byte(ES8156_REG08_CLOCK_ON_OFF, 0x3F));
+
+  // REG00 RESET CONTROL: Reset sequence
+  // First: RST_DIG=1 (assert digital reset)
   ES8156_ERROR_FAILED(this->write_byte(ES8156_REG00_RESET, 0x02));
+  // Then: CSM_ON=1 (enable chip state machine), RST_DIG=1
   ES8156_ERROR_FAILED(this->write_byte(ES8156_REG00_RESET, 0x03));
+
+  // REG25 ANALOG SYSTEM: Power up analog blocks
+  // VMIDSEL=2 (normal VMID operation), PDN_ANA=0, ENREFR=0, ENHPCOM=0
+  // PDN_DACVREFGEN=0, PDN_VREFBUF=0, PDN_DAC=0 (all enabled)
   ES8156_ERROR_FAILED(this->write_byte(ES8156_REG25_ANALOG_SYS5, 0x20));
 }