Technology is amazing. In a very short span of time we have moved from an age of analog audio and video to digital imagery and sound – and we’re still progressing. With modern devices, we’re able to tune into and pick up even the most subtle tones, such as the echo of a violin string squeaking amid an orchestra.
Unfortunately despite all of our advancement in audio, those working in forensic audio still find themselves in situations where a very important message somehow doesn’t come out the same way it went in. Companies may be throwing all they can at creating perfect audio recording products but there are a lot of factors that get into the way of that crisp, clear final audio.
Masking noises are probably the biggest culprit for many. Not only from the ambient sounds of a room and the surrounding environment, which can make some recordings seem completely useless, but from electronic interference in the area that jumbles equipment and creates issues that can’t often be corrected on site.
Sometimes the interference isn’t recognized until after the fact, when it’s too late to correct the issue. Of course there’s always equipment to fix problems with other equipment; audio enhancement and noise reduction has been used for years to deal with issues relating to interference and masking noises.
Audio enhancement techniques have been useful both in a commercial setting – where lecturers and other speakers can have discussions or dictations cleaned up – or in forensic situations where the actual audio could mean the difference between a conviction or an acquittal.
The equipment used is another roadblock and can drastically distort the quality of a recording. Often problems can be blamed on dated equipment that’s not properly configured but even new, cheaply made equipment or improperly used equipment can create similar problems. Modern audio enhancement techniques can counter the problems that arise from using older analog equipment or situations where digital recorders were used improperly.
While the final quality of enhanced audio doesn’t always come out sounding crystal clear (there’s only so much that can be done with the original audio in many cases) the final result is often surprisingly legible to the point where – if it were audio of an evidentiary nature – would be permissible in court.
Public speakers often find great benefit from audio enhancement when they perform at conferences and seminars. Recordings of the seminars are typically sold after the fact for those who couldn’t attend and if a speaker has a Q&A period in which guests/audience members aren’t wired for sound then those listening after the fact are only able to hear the speakers side of the discussion. Audio enhancement can actually fix even those issues so that instead of removing sound, specific sound (like conversations) can be amplified and enhanced.
Of course not all forensic audio enhancement turns out and some audio will remain indecipherable to all save for those who are trained to listen – and sometimes not even to them. All the same, the methods used (hardware and software) provide benefits and a backup plan in the event that the new technology we depend on… doesn’t always work out the way we plan.
