1-bit audio, also trademarked as Direct Stream Digital (DSD) is a representation of digital audio as a stream of 1-bit digits, typically produced by use of a Sigma Delta Modulator (SDM). For an overview of the technique, we refer to Reefman and Janssen (2003).
For our intentions of observing the erosion processes of digital audio representations, 1-bit audio has the wonderful property that each bit of information has the same significance. Note that this is different from a multi-bit-word (PCM) representation where the loss of a bit has different effects depending on its position in a data word.
We are experimenting with representations of 1-bit audio on various physical information carriers, in electromagnetic or visual state. Specifically, we are working on printed or laser-engraved bit streams on various materials, then subjected to degradation processes.

Printed 1-bit audio representation on paper, analogous to a bit stream on a Compact Disc (CD).

Zooming on the 1-bit audio track. The bit stream spiral starts above the image center.

Degraded print potentially also results in degraded audio quality.