Paul Reed Smith Makes Great Guitars And Spy Technology Too

Just about every guitar player is aware of Paul Reed Smith. His PRS guitars and amplifiers have become a major piece of the musical instrument industry and the company seems to becoming more popular every day, thanks to new models being constantly released. What many don’t know is that Paul also created products used by the U.S. intelligence community too.

Paul’s other company, Digital Harmonic, makes advanced products that enhance imagining way beyond what was possible just a few years ago. While this technology is currently used by government and security agencies as well the medical industry, it was actually born out of his love for music.

The son of two mathematicians, the technology got its start when Paul and his father were working on a PRS synthesizer, according to an interview he did with The Washingtonian. During the development process they created a method of amplifying undetected data embedded in audio files, and that this could be used to isolate and boost individual sounds in a recording. They tried it out on Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway To Heaven” and were able to isolate every element of the mix with no leakage, a pretty phenomenal feat in itself.

The process was later shown to recently retired General Hugh Shelton, the former head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who immediately understood the national security implications, as the process could enhance both sound and picture in ways that hadn’t been previously possible.

For instance, an audio conversation that was all but undecipherable was now clear, and a video blurry from the darkness of night could now be seen with clarity. For medical technology, it can help provide clearer images in X-rays and MRI’s.

Digital Harmonic now has two products, Precision Measuring Matrix for cleaning up audio, and Pure Pixel for enhancing images, but Paul isn’t finished making guitars and amps just yet. He’s turned over the company to CEO Scott Haiges, and retuned to his first love. That means that all of you PRS lovers can expect new products from company for the next NAMM show.

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