The Distortion of Sound

[Mark Bassett]

A new doco from Harman on the decline of sound quality.

The full film is ironically available for viewing on YouTube through the official site.

I am unsure why Mike Shinoda is featured though. Linkin Park records are substantially over compressed.

http://distortionofsound.com/

[AlCraig]

They seemed to intertwine (if that's the right word) dynamic compression with data compression. Too bad because they are distinct problems we face.
But they made a good case for convenience over quality. Such is our lot in life. But, shit at hi-res still sounds like shit at low-res. Content is king.

Al

[Chinagraf]

I don't quite get what it's all about. Are Harman about to launch a new product?
Also found it interesting that a lot of people on it release their stuff as mp3's...

[Kurt]

Another conflation of dynamic range compression and data compression. In the bit with the chick singing and the waveform on screen it has obviously been smashed though a limiter. That is not mp3 compression.

And yes, they are selling a processing algorithm purporting to "fix" mp3 artefacts. I listened to the demos and hated it.

[Chris H]

......To quote Rolf......Trust Harman? Sure can't!
Venture capitalist company driven by anything and everything but quality of sound capture or reproduction. What a path of destruction they have left in their wake!

[Chinagraf]

Yeah Kurt, also the drum section in the comparison bit had been mega slammed when they switched to the data compressed version, I laughed a lot when I heard it.
I didn't know Harman had released some mp3 fixerupper thingo but it sure looked like that was the aim of the 'film'.

[Mark Bassett]

......To quote Rolf......Trust Harman? Sure can't!
Venture capitalist company driven by anything and everything but quality of sound capture or reproduction. What a path of destruction they have left in their wake!

I don't know much about Harman except for their Saracon converter, which is the duck's guts.

Dr Sean Olive on the other hand is highly regarded (he's the new president of the AES) and 150% knows what he's talking about.

[Chris H]

......To quote Rolf......Trust Harman? Sure can't!
Venture capitalist company driven by anything and everything but quality of sound capture or reproduction. What a path of destruction they have left in their wake!

I don't know much about Harman except for their Saracon converter, which is the duck's guts.

Dr Sean Olive on the other hand is highly regarded (he's the new president of the AES) and 150% knows what he's talking about.

.......yes, I was shooting from the hip with that post, with the demise of Amek in mind. They where already on the way out when Harman took em over.

[Mark Bassett]

I don't quite get what it's all about. Are Harman about to launch a new product?
.

I don't know how new it is, but yes.

http://www.clarifisound.com/