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In popularizing the CD, the contribution of Toshitada Doi was also instrumental. He was responsible for introducing digital technology to recording studios throughout the world. With 30 young researchers from the Audio Technology Center, Doi began to develop and commercialize digital audio for professional use.
Following the development of the home-use PCM-1 digital audio processor in 1977, the professional-use PCM-1600, which used the U-Matic machine, was launched in March 1978. As a master recording system for CD software, the PCM-1600 brought digitization to the recording studio. In fact, it was the beautiful sound produced by the PCM-1600 that had moved Maestro Karajan so much. In 1980, Doi visited recording studios and broadcasting stations around the world to facilitate the commercial use of digital audio systems. While doing so, however, he met considerable opposition. Studio engineers were opposed to digital technology. They criticized digital technology on the grounds that it was more expensive than analog technology and that it did not sound as soft or musical. Some people in the recording industry actually formed a group called MAD (Musicians Against Digital), and they declared their position to the Audio Engineering Society (AES).
Amid all this, Doi and his colleagues drew support from various camps. Famous artists like Stevie Wonder and jazz pianist Herbie Hancock were taken by the sound of Sony's digital tape recorders. At an AES Exhibition, these artists sat in the Sony booth while playing back demo tapes they had recorded digitally. By doing so, they gave a tremendous boost to Sony's efforts to promote digital technology. A growing number of musicians began to say,  If Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hancock say they like digital sound, then perhaps we should consider it ourselves. In the classical music world, Maestro Karajan promoted the quality sound of the CD. These great performers played a major role in popularizing the CD.
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The digitization of studio recorders continued with the PCM-3324. |
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Doi and his colleagues used the PCM-1600, two-channel digital recorder to successfully bring digital technology to the world of classical music. They were also successful several years later in developing the PCM-3324, a 24-channel multi-track digital recorder, which gained worldwide acceptance from popular music recording artists.
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