High fidelity—or
hi-fi or
hifi—reproduction is a term used by home stereo listeners and
home audio enthusiasts to refer to high-quality
reproduction of sound to distinguish it from the poorer quality sound produced by inexpensive audio equipment, or the inferior quality of sound reproduction that can be heard in recordings made until the late 1940s. Ideally, high-fidelity equipment has minimal amounts of
noise and
distortion and an accurate
frequency response.