Is HD an appropriate term to use in reference to sound?

Definition refers to the how close a picture matches it original, or real life. It almost always refers to pictures or videos.

Fidelity (as in truth) refers generally to how accurate a representaiton is, but has for at least the last half century been specifically related to radio and sound. Anymore, it almost always refers to sound.

Calling radio “HD RADIO” is… OK, and works if you are selling High Fidelity Radio to stupid people, but is not as correct as calling it HF RADIO.

It’s fine. One of the definitions for definition according to dictionary.com is “Radio and Television. the accuracy of sound or picture reproduction.”

In my head, it doesn’t seem right. It seems like “Definition” in terms of something’s quality should solely be visual. I’d opt to use “high fidelity” or just simply “high quality”.
But apparently it isn’t wrong, so I guess that’s just something I’ll have to live with.

I wouldn’t use it that way. Sound isn’t “defined” the way an image is, but if it is true to the original then it has fidelity.

I like to define the sounds I hear. Sound okay to me, @DarkScribe

As an Audiologist, I prefer to use the term “high fidelity” when discussing sound reproduction. However, from a marketing standpoint, “Hi-Fi” is a rather dated term, so I think they’re trying to give it a more modern, technologically-advanced sounding name that will appeal to consumers.

@DarkScribe and @Zen: The terminology I use professionally is sound “discrimination” (or sometimes “distinction” or “recognition”) rather than definition. It’s all semantics, and splitting hairs, of course.

Yes, hi-fi, while more accurate, is certainly dated. Darn it, I was hoping to find a clip of Fred Flintstone singing “Listen to the Rockin’ Bird” as Hi-Fi. Can’t find it, but it’s really great. Fred sounds just like Mel Tormé.

HD sound is dolby 7.1 you find it on most blu-ray disks . Blu-ray gives better sound clarity . .

It is marketing nonsense. Like “DVD quality”.

@hearkat I am intrigued: What is an Audiologist (training, studies, degrees and experience – please) and the semantics of it, I presume, go hand in hand with your profession – which also intrigue me. The semantics of it i.e.

@Zen:
What Is An Audiologist?
Our profession may go by a different name in the country where you currently reside.
Feel free to PM with any additional questions, as I don’t want to hijack this post.

@hearkat Merci.

“Blu-ray gives better sound clarity”

So you are saying if I have shot something. It had bad audio to begin with.
If I record it on to Blu-ray I will have better sound clarity?

Like I said, marketing nonsense for the neophyte.

What “HD’ was suppose to be and what it has become are two different beasts.