High-definition Audio

While the term high-fidelity has been around for decades, high-definition audio is a relative newcomer to the scene. The technology company Intel has led the way to defining a set of specifications and hardware for digital sound on computers that they call HD Audio. Unlike hi-fi systems, which can incorporate both analog and digital signals, high-definition audio focuses solely on digital media. It lets your computer act like an audio receiver and amplifier.

Intel motherboard­
Courtesy Amazon
The Intel Desktop Board D915PGN includes the Intel HD Audio technology.
The Intel high-definition audio chip allows you to use your computer to send digital audio signals to speakers, headphones, telephones and other audio equipment. Early computer audio systems could only produce simple stereo sound reproduction. The Intel HD audio system supports surround sound up to Dolby 7.1 [source: Intel].

The main focus of the product is to create an immersive experience. Through the use of surround sound, it's possible to create an audio environment in which you're in the center of a performance. That doesn't mean the sound will be an accurate representation of the original recording conditions. Intel's HD Audio system doesn't include outputs like speakers or headphones -- you have to supply those yourself. If you hook up lower end output devices to your computer, the sound you'll hear might not replicate the original performance accurately.

In other words, an inexpensive surround sound theater system might immerse you in the listening experience, but it won't achieve the goal so many audiophiles chase after. But for many home theater applications, such a system would be fine. Even if the system didn't recreate sound to the exacting standards of an audiophile, it could still create an immersive experience as part of a home theater system.

Audiophiles' Bane: The MP3
Mention MP3 files to an audiophile and you might need to take cover. The MP3 format has a bad rap with serious audiophiles. That's because of the nature of MP3s. An MP3 file is a special kind of compressed sound file. Part of the process of creating an MP3 is to eliminate any sounds that fall outside the range of human hearing to conserve file space. Audiophiles say the compression process negatively impacts the sound quality. They'd argue that even with the best stereo equipment, an MP3 file will always be inferior to other media.

There you have it. A high-fidelity sound system meets subjective standards and reproduces sound accurately. A high-definition audio system supports the latest digital audio formats and creates an immersive experience. The two are related, but aren't interchangeable. It's possible to create a high-fidelity system that doesn't rely on digital media at all, for example. When in doubt, if someone asks you if you'd like to listen to a hi-fi or hi-def sound system, just say "sounds good to me!"

What About HD Radio?
A digital radio technology company called iBiquity Digital trademarked the term HD Radio, but the "HD" in HD Radio doesn't stand for high definition. It doesn't really stand for anything at all -- it's a brand name. The company claims the HD Radio technology provides clearer sound than standard radio. [source: iBiquity Digital].

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