K2 High Definition

K2 technology is an audio mastering technology developed by JVC Kenwood Victor Entertainment Corporation. It was named after the two engineers who developed the system: Kuwaoka and Kanai. K2 technology has two major features: Improving sound quality and packing high-definition data in lower format CD. The fundamental principle of K2 technology is to produce audios that are "closer to the musical truth"[1] and "restoring sound to its original state."[1] Originally developed from a project in 1987, K2 technology is the fundamental technology of audio mastering technology such as netK2 and K2HD mastering.

History

The development of K2 was started in response to calls from recording engineers in Victor Studio. However, engineers found that there was a clear difference in sound quality between original audio data and the copy versions on CD even though the digital data does not change during the transferring process. The engineers in Victor Studio then found the reason that disguising the original data and copy versions is the electrical distortion such as jitters and rippling occurs during the data recording and transformation. Kuwaoka and Kanai, two engineers from Victor Studio started their searching for improvements of the sound quality for audio data after transformation. Their attempts were named the “K2 Interface”, which was the original version of K2.[1]

Features

K2 technology has two main features which can lead to various music production and manufacturing process:

High-definition Digital Signal Transmission Technology

High-definition Digital Signal Transmission Technology can be used to improve the sound quality during the data transmission process by blocking the distortion signal that can reduce sound quality during the transmission process. Letting only the data signal pass from the transmitter to the receiver, it preserves the digital data close to its original state. This feature is developed based on K2 technology’s principle of “closer to the music truth”[1]

High-Fidelity Information Processing Technology

High-Fidelity Information Processing Technology is used when the audio data has already been transmitted. In this case, the K2 technology can fix the damaged digital data to restore it back to its original state. This feature can also be applied to restoring high resolution audio data, up to 100 kHz frequency and 24-bit resolution, in standard format CD by modifying the signal. This feature is applied to many newly developed K2 related technology such as netK2 and K2HD Mastering.This feature is developed based on K2 technology’s principle of “restoring sound to its original state.”[1]

Applications

netK2

netK2 technology can either be used as an application program that transmits audio data from CD to compressed music file such as MP3 or working as a mobile digital audio resource.

netK2 Pre-Processing

netK2 Pre-Processing works as an application program and is used when the audio source needs to be transferred to compressed audio file. Without the netK2 Pre-processing, only the basic components can go through the process and those components that are eliminated will result in a reduce in sound quality. netK2 Pre-processing ensures that all these components that would have been eliminated are added back to the basic components to make the compressed audio file less-degraded.[1]

netK2 Post-Processing

netK2 Post-Processing is designed for hardware such as radios and mobile phones. When these devices play compressed music sources that are missing components that were lost during transmitting process, netK2 Post-Processing enables audio data to be reproduced at original state and result in a high-quality sound effect in compressed music files. It works even better for those compressed music files that went through K2 pre-processing.[1]

K2HD Pro Mastering

K2HD Processing

K2HD Processing is used to expand audio data from low-grade formats to high grade formats. It enables the high frequency data (above 20 kHz) that are lost when a CD master is produced from an analog master to be restored up to 100 kHz.[2]

K2HD Coding

K2HD Coding is used to packed the high frequency and definition audio source, up to 100 kHz and 24 bit, into lower format, with a minimum of 44.1 kHz/16 bits. This technology enables high resolution music be stored on basic format CD and be played without requiring any additional equipment.[2]

Receptions

During CD's developing history, many technology was invented to improve the sound quality. Philips and Sony came up with the new format CD, SACD, and JVC company sought to improve the sound quality during transmitting process and came up with the XRCD. In 2004, JVC came up with the new K2 Technology. Although the sound quality of JVC's XRCD is already superior comparing to normal format CD, K2 technology CD gave a more meticulous presentation and separation of instrument bodies.

Soon after the K2HD mastering technology was invented, Winston Ma, The CEO of the First Impression Music, was invited to Tokyo. After listening to the CD produced by K2 technology, he thought that while XRCD is a product which is mastered by a special processor system and cut by special XRCD laser cutter in the XRCD production line, K2HD Mastering is primarily a superb and very special mastering technology. It is able to produce disc with master quality audio.[3]

Gary Koh of Genesis Loudspeakers was among the few that also received a copy of the K2 HD Sampler from Winston Ma, and he agreed with Mr. Ma's impression on the K2HD. He think the technology is astonishing. and he knew it was something special from the first second of “Symphonic Dances”(the sampler he received).[3]

Limitations

Since the K2 Technology is an audio mastering technology, it can only be used during the audio transferring process. Once the audio has been recorded in a format, K2 Technology can not be used to improve the sound quality without transmitting the data to a new format.[4]

See also

External links

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "K2 TECHNOLOGY". www.jvcmusic.co.jp. Retrieved 2016-10-24.
  2. 1 2 Entertainment,Inc., Victor. "FLAIR | K2HD". victorstudio.jp. Retrieved 2016-11-06.
  3. 1 2 "K2 HD Standard Review - Dagogo | A Unique Audiophile Experience". www.dagogo.com. Retrieved 2016-11-06.
  4. ↑ "K2 HD Review". www.stereomojo.com. Retrieved 2016-11-06.


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