High fidelity (often shortened to Hi-Fi or HiFi) is the high-quality reproduction of sound.[1] It is popular with audiophiles and home audio enthusiasts. Ideally, high-fidelity equipment has inaudible noise and distortion, and a flat (neutral, uncolored) frequency response within the human hearing range.[2]
High fidelity contrasts with the lower-quality "lo-fi" sound produced by inexpensive audio equipment, AM radio, or the inferior quality of sound reproduction that can be heard in recordings made until the late 1940s.
- ^ Hartley, H. A. (1958). "High fidelity". Audio Design Handbook (PDF). New York, New York: Gernsback Library. pp. 7, 200. Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 57-9007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-01-27. Retrieved 2009-08-08.
I invented the phrase 'high fidelity' in 1927 to denote a type of sound reproduction that might be taken rather seriously by a music lover. In those days the average radio or phonograph equipment sounded pretty horrible but, as I was really interested in music, it occurred to me that something might be done about it.
- ^ "Frequency Response". Hi-FiWorld.co.uk.