Consumer demand and manufacturer support for high definition (HD) media is accelerating and quickly becoming standard. As such, media creators of all types, from film and broadcast, to video games and new media professionals, are increasingly expected to produce in the highest quality visual and audio resolutions. Within the overall consumer HD experience, high definition audio and sound design are often underestimated yet rapidly evolving components critical to producing more immersive HD media.

The HD Sound Effects Initiative (HDsoundeffects.org) is an industry-wide consortium dedicated to fostering the awareness, adoption and use of high definition audio and sound effects libraries in professional media production. Organized by Pro Sound Effects with endorsement from leading library publishers Sound Ideas, Digiffects, Hollywood Edge, and Blastwave FX, the HD Sound Effects Initiative serves as an educational and news resource for the professional audio community.

By using the highest quality audio and HD sound effects libraries, we, as audio professionals, seek to push the limits of the HD experience and underscore the increasingly integral role of high definition audio and sound design.