Editing Audio

'''Audio''' signals can move through a very wide variety of media:

*[[closed circuit]]
*[[AM radio]] and [[FM radio]], including [[low-power microradio]]
*[[shortwave radio]]
*[[walkie-talkie protocol]]s
*other [[cordless phone]]s' frequencies, and advanced [[cordless protocol]]s (such as [[PCS]]/[[GSM]] and [[DECT]]) (also capable of [[touchtone]]s)
*[[telephone]]s (also capable of [[touchtone]] signalling)
*[[cell phone]]s (also capable of [[touchtone]] signalling)
*[[web browser]]s and plug-in [[media viewer]]s, e.g. for [[IP streamed radio]]
*[[VHF]] and [[UHF]] ([[television]] bands)

== delivery of signal ==

They are typically delivered to the customer's ears by the following means:
*[[speaker]]s installed anywhere using any of the above to receive a signal
*[[headset]]s hooked up to any of the above.

== ubiquity of transceivers ==

There are literally ''tens of billions'' of receivers capable of receiving audio signals, and almost as many (e.g. all [[telephone]]s) capable of also transmitting.  This compares quite favourably to the number of [[Bluetooth]] devices.  It would take an overwhelming argument for the absolute necessity of text or video signals to make a service that required them for [[Consumerium buying signal]] desirable.  Historically, one could note that [[industrial radio]] was quite feasible and in wide use before the 1920s, while [[commercial radio]] was in wide use in the 1930s.  However, the addition of [[video]] for [[television]] did not occur in [[developed nation]]s until the 1950s, and the further addition of point-to-point still [[image]] and [[text]] communication wasn't possible until [[fax]] and [[email]] in the 1980s.  And even by the 1990s it was not common to have devices capable of a wide variety of signals.

== central role in culture ==

Psychological studies have repeatedly proven that the quality of audio has very strong effects on people's receptivity to information.  Good audio even causes them to perceive the video as better than it is!  Accordingly, all standards for Laserdisc, DVD and other media have put audio as the most important of their [[performance requirements]].

Perhaps most important, anyone can speak, while not everyone can read or write, and not everyone can type, and certainly not everyone can draw good pictures.  All [[civilization]] is based on [[troll poetry|poetry]], [[song]], [[myth]], which are always most effectively delivered in audio form.  

:''For more on this, and a vivid image of how important the [[voice actor]] can be, we recommend [http://www.metaweb.com/wiki/wiki.phtml?title=Neal_Stephenson Neal Stephenson]'s book [http://www.metaweb.com/wiki/wiki.phtml?title=The_Diamond_Age The Diamond Age] which in part outlines the effect of a voice-acted interactive book called the [http://www.metaweb.com/wiki/wiki.phtml?title=Young_Lady's_Illustrated_Primer Young Lady's Illustrated Primer].  The [[Metaweb]] project is actually an overt attempt to move [[wiki]] in this direction!  In the book, this voice acting literally pulls a [[youth at risk]] into a culture that is able to welcome, sustain, and support her.''

We [[hominid]]s are evolved to respond to our [[ape mother]]s' touch and sound.  We are not evolved to respond to her text or beauty.  Audio signal delivery is thus expected to remain the critical influence on most customer's buying decisions.  This includes of course the [[word of mouth]] that is the most important influence on such decisions.