Zenph Sound Innovations Receives Stellar Accolades From the Industry's Most Respected Reviewers

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Zenph Sound Innovations, Inc., the company whose ground-breaking technology transforms recorded music into data describing precisely how musicians perform, has released its third album to critical reviews that extend its reputation for technical preeminence and acoustic perfection.  Thought leaders throughout the audio industry have agreed that Zenph's Rachmaninoff Plays Rachmaninoff, released by Sony Masterworks, ranks as one of the most important sonic achievements of recent years.  The Absolute Sound, Stereophile, Clavier Companion and Audiophile Audition, among others, have all published rave reviews of the album, a Zenph® re-performance® of works originally recorded by Rachmaninoff from 1921 to 1942.

This month's issue of Stereophile deemed the new Zenph recording a "Record To Die For"— in the company of such other classics as the Beatles' Abbey Road, Charlie Parker's New Sounds in Modern Music, Artur Rubinstein's fabled concerto recordings, and James Brown's Live at the Apollo — declaring that the "stunningly good modern piano sound ...takes your breath away." The Absolute Sound's December 2009 issue named Rachmaninoff Plays Rachmaninoff the "Recording of the Issue" with a rare score of "Music: 10, Sound: 10."  The Clavier Companion's February 2010 issue referred to the album as a "must-have" and stated that it was "one of the most exciting collections of Rachmaninoff's own performances anyone can possibly hope to own."  And Audiophile Audition described the album as "a superb example of Rachmaninoff's (and Zenph's) artistry."

These accolades represent a critical consensus that Zenph's technologies embody an important new frontier in the audio industry, and offer an exciting new set of possibilities for music creators and enthusiasts.  The triumph of Rachmaninoff Plays Rachmaninoff follows outstanding reviews for Zenph's previous releases: Glenn Gould's 1955 recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations and Art Tatum's Piano Starts Here.  BBC Music Magazine called the Gould album a "glorious earful"; Classical Archives described the Tatum recording as "a re-performance that is different from the original vinyl release only in its superior sonic fidelity and dynamic range."

"Zenph has created an entirely new genre of audio experience, forging the nuance and virtuosity of iconic past masters with today's most breathtaking recording and playback technologies," said Alex Miller, General Manager of Sony Masterworks. "Sony is proud to have led the way in bringing such a game-changing musical achievement to the public, and we look forward to the many ways that Zenph will continue to evolve."  Zenph's producer for all three albums was Steve Epstein, who received his sixth "Producer of the Year" GRAMMY® at the recent 2010 ceremony.  

Zenph's processes utilize software and algorithms for precisely understanding — and exactingly re-creating — how musicians perform.  Zenph captures details regarding a musician's note choice, volume, touch, articulations, and pedaling.  Using this data, recordings from any era can be "re-performed" using robotic or virtual instruments, replicating what was played at the moment of the original performance.

"These recent reviews validate Zenph's growing reputation among critical thought leaders in the music industry," said John Q. Walker, Chairman and Founder of Zenph. "Our technology re-creates performances so precisely, it's as if you were in the room with the artist, and that precision is based on the extraordinary quality of our data.  While we are grateful for the recognition, we have only begun to explore the possibilities of this technology. What's important right now is that some of the most sophisticated critics in the industry understand and appreciate the importance of what we have achieved with these initial releases."

Zenph's technology and recordings have received accolades from a broad spectrum of publications including The New York Post, The Independent, The Dallas Morning News, The Guardian, New York Magazine, Keyboard, and JazzTimes, among many others.  

About Zenph Sound Innovations, Inc.

Zenph Sound Innovations, Inc. creates proprietary software and algorithms that transform recorded music into data describing precisely how musicians perform. From this data, musical performances can become immersive and interactive: recordings can be "re-performed" with astonishing fidelity on today's equipment, and contemporary artists and consumers can gain access to an entirely new set of creative possibilities. By understanding the nuances of an individual musical style as a digital "signature," Zenph's technology enables the re-imagining of the entire music industry. The company's work was named one of the "Best Ideas of the Year" by The New York Times Magazine and has received multiple GRAMMY® nominations. For more information, visit www.zenph.com.

SOURCE Zenph Sound Innovations, Inc.