Lead Audio Standards

The Audio Engineering Society Standards Committee is at the forefront of defining and codifying best practices for audio engineering. From its first standard on playback equalization in 1951, through its pioneering work in digital audio interfaces (AES-3) and measurement (AES-17), up to the recent work in networking digital audio (AES-67), the AES has become the premier organization for developing standards for audio engineering. This work is international in scope, uniting researchers and practitioners from around the world, creating standards with broad and lasting impact. New technologies lead to new products, new workflows and new businesses. The AES Standards Committee (AESSC) is there every step of the way, uniting leaders in each segment of the field and facilitating innovation that fuels growth within audio. The AESSC provides the mechanism for diverse interests to gather, cooperate and create audio standards in a forum fully sanctioned under international legal norms.

Unlike other organizations, the AES does not charge individuals or their companies for participating in standards development. This helps AES standards reflect a consensus between all interested parties, not just the largest and best funded. From the beginning of the AES Standards activities it was felt that open participation would yield better standards. Even small companies who couldn’t afford to pay for participation would have a voice and insure that standards served broader applications than just what their major proponents could foresee. This openness also encourages innovation. Many of the brightest people are in small companies or are independent.

Becoming an AES Standards Sustainer provides much needed funding, allowing the AES to continue this open development model, and insures that these standards are in place when you need them.