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Comment by rob74 | Hacker News Reader

> We are happy to offer a free beta version of this software to audio enthusiasts in the hope that they will use it to improve their critical listening skills and appreciation for high quality sound reproduction.

I'm sure encouraging audio enthusiasts to improve their critical listening skills is in Harman's interest, but from the perspective of a consumer that's currently happy with lower-cost products, I would say ignorance is bliss...

Also interesting that this software was apparently only published once in 2011 as a beta with version number 2.04, and then never received an update, or even another blog post.

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Harman is one of the good guys in this regard. The research that they have funded has, e.g., resulted in a better method for subwoofer placement [1]. Considering the amount of woo-woo in especially 'high-end' audio, their approach is very refreshing.

[1] https://www.harman.com/documents/multsubs_0.pdf

> I'm sure encouraging audio enthusiasts to improve their critical listening skills is in Harman's interest [...]

I wonder if Harmon are so confident in their own products' superiority that they assume that a more educated audience will lead to a proportional increase in sales. Or perhaps they view education as important in its own right. (Given your point about this being the only publication of the software, perhaps neither!)

Turning ordinary consumers into audiophiles is a “market-opening” move. Effective luxury audio brands sell you on the solution, but the most effective sell you on the problem as well.

This is approximately the same time that Harman were re-launching the Lexicon brand stuff as "home theater" equipment rather than studio equipment, so they had every incentive to drive consumers towards "pro" gear (at an enormous markup).

no, its not that well planned. its basically just that harman happens to employ a small team of actual researchers who are largely left to their own devices as a legacy thing from the old days when it was a founder-owned company

Thanks to the skill you will live the music more intensely.

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