*** AUDIO-CD -- new professional tool ***

[Jeffrey Sirianni]

Received this in my emailbox.  Thought it might be interesting to hear what
the group has to say....

Jeff

>X-POP3-Rcpt: sirianni at curly.cc.utexas.edu
>Date: Sat, 01 Feb 1997 23:45:13 -0800
>From: Zbigniew Koziol <digital at ra.isisnet.com>
>Reply-To: digital at ra.isisnet.com
>Organization: Digital Recordings, http://www.isisnet.com/MAX/digital.html
>To: zkoziol at is.dal.ca
>Subject: *** AUDIO-CD -- new professional tool ***
>
>AUDIO-CD <== the new professional tool every acoustician should have
>  ********************************************************************
>
>  We are proud to announce that we have developed a new, exciting
>product called AUDIO-CD (TM). It is an audio compact disc that 
>allows you to test - without a major investment in equipment - 
>hearing in the range of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. To perform the test, 
>you need only a CD player and a set of headphones or earphones.
>It's as simple as that.There is no need to invest in a $10,000 
>audiometer to perform similar hearing threshold testing.
>
>For further information, please visit our web site : 
>http://www.isisnet.com/MAX/digital.html 
>
>We look forward to hearing from you
>
>Sincerely yours,
>Marek Roland-Mieszkowski, Ph.D.
>President of DIGITAL RECORDINGS
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>AUDIO-CD (TM)
>*************
>
>Hearing Test
>------------
>Hearing loss can be caused by factors such as exposure to noise or loud 
>music. For example, a loud rock concert can "age" ears by 2 years. Some
>portable stereo headsets can produce sound levels up to 130 dB SPL in  
>earphones or headphones. Hearing loss can also be caused by chemicals, 
>some medications, diet, radiation and accelerated aging.
>
>For the first time ever, the AUDIO-CD (TM) from Digital Recordings 
>allows anyone to test hearing ability without expensive equipment. 
>This unique CD-based product is the culmination of six years of research
>and development by a group of acousticians, audiologists, sound,
>electronic and audio engineers.
>
>Hearing thresholds for 24 frequencies, ranging from 20 Hz (the lowest
>frequency humans can hear) to 20,000 Hz (the highest frequency humans 
>can hear), can be tested with the AUDIO-CD (TM).
>
>Regular tests of hearing with the AUDIO-CD (for example, every 6 months)
>will allow for the early detection of possible signs of hearing loss and
>can, therefore, allow for early prevention / correction of hearing 
>deficiencies.
>
>
>CD Player Test
>--------------
>The Audio-CD (TM) also contains a unique Special Digital Signal (SDS) 
>which allows you to test a CD player's performance. Some new players -- 
>and many used ones -- loose digital data stored on the CDs due to 
>problems with a variety of components, such as the laser, lens, 
>tracking, digital circuitry. This in turn leads to deterioration of 
>the CD player's ability to playback music and other recordings.
>
>SDS can be routinely used to check your existing CD player,or it can 
>help you test new stereo equipment -- right in the store -- before 
>you buy.
>
>
>Additional Information
>----------------------
>For additional information on the AUDIO-CD (TM), visit Digital 
>Recordings' World Wide Web site: http://www.isisnet.com/MAX/digital.html
>
>You can also contact us by e-mail at digital at ra.isisnet.com, by phone 
>or fax at (902) 429-9622, or write to us at:
>
>DIGITAL RECORDINGS - Advanced R & D
>5959 Spring Garden Road, Suite 1103
>Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H-1Y5, Canada
>
>Copyright 1990-1997 Digital Recordings, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
>All rights reserved.
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Comments about AUDIO-CD
>-----------------------
>
>" DIGITAL RECORDINGS' new CD the "AUDIO-CD"  is a brilliant step forward 
>...."AUDIO-CD"  is extraordinary and a most ingenious solution to making 
>universal hearing testing cheap, reliable and effective....It  makes the 
>testing of hearing a simple home project which can be  to the benefit of 
>many  people who  suffer from partial  hearing loss  due to noise in the 
>workplace or very loud music during their recreation. DIGITAL RECORDINGS 
>is to be congratulated on taking advantage of modern technology in  this 
>ingenious way."   Prof.Hugh Jones, H.W. Jones and Assoc., England
>
>" I was playing with your CD last night and I am very impressed by it...
>it is  the rare opportunity for everyone,  to become  active participant 
>of  hi-tech development process,  instead of being  a passive consumer."
>Dr.Nikalai Maltsev, Instrumar Ltd., Canada
>
>" I tried the CD, and it worked very well !  My CD player  seems to work 
>properly, and the hearing test is most interesting." Dr.Philip R. Staal,
>Halifax, Canada
>
>" This AUDIO-CD  is based on  solid research work  and uses many clever 
>ideas  allowing to make testing  both very accurate  and very easy." 
>Dr.Bozena Kostek, Technical University of Gdansk, Poland
>
>" The quality of the stimuli is very good and the procedure to find HTs
>is very clever  (my colleague - Dr. Brad McPherson - used the word 
>'ingenious').  Clearly, given the limitations of testing someone's 
>hearing on his/her own hi-fi at home, it would have been very difficult 
>to find an easier procedure to use."    Dr.Valter Ciocca, University of 
>Hong Kong, Hong Kong
>
>"We just received your AUDIO-CD.  My colleague - Erik Eknes - has  a lot 
>of experience with hearing threshold testing. And he was very skeptical.
>But after having tested your CD he is now very enthusiastic ! " Dr.Rolf 
>Kahrs Hansen, OmniTech AS, Norway
>
>" I am very impressed by your work .........The kind of test signals you 
>chose seems very well suited for this test!   Results between  100Hz and 
>10kHz were very well reproducible (+-1dB). All in all I find this a very 
>good product and congratulate you for this development." 
>Dr.Martin Opitz, AKG, Austria
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------

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* Jeff Sirianni, M.A., CCC-A                      *
* Sound Advice / R.G. Delaney, M.D.               *
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* audioman at hctc.net                               *
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* Discussion Leader of bionet.audiology Newsgroup *
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