SHN to SD2 Converter

Encode Shorten audio as Sound Designer II online

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Specialized Output

Generate SD2 from pristine lossless SHN source — clean audio for your specific application needs.

Online Processing

No specialized tools needed — our servers handle the entire SHN to SD2 conversion through your browser.

Secure Files

SHN uploads are erased immediately. SD2 outputs are purged from servers within 24 hours.

How to convert SHN to SD2

1

Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.

2

Choose sd2 or any other format you need as a result (more than 200 formats supported)

3

Let the file convert and you can download your sd2 file right afterwards

About formats

Shorten (SHN) is a lossless audio compression codec created by Tony Robinson at SoftSound) and first published in 1993, making it one of the earliest practical lossless compressors. The algorithm uses linear prediction to estimate each sample from predecessors, then encodes residuals with Huffman or Golomb-Rice codes. Compression ratios typically fall between 2:1 and 3:1, with the guarantee that decoded output is bit-identical to the original. Shorten gained cultural significance in the late 1990s as the preferred format for trading live concert recordings online — communities like etree.org built entire distribution networks around SHN files, and bands like the Grateful Dead and Phish tacitly endorsed the practice. One advantage was the format's simplicity: encoding and decoding ran fast even on modest Pentium-era hardware. Another strength was deterministic output — the same input always produced the same bytes, making checksums reliable for verifying integrity across thousands of traders. While FLAC eventually superseded Shorten with better compression, seeking support, and embedded metadata, SHN retains historical importance and extensive live music archives in the format still circulate today.
Initial release: 1993
Sound Designer II (SD2) is a professional audio format created by Digidesign around 1988 as the successor to the original Sound Designer format. For over a decade, SD2 was the standard interchange format in professional recording studios, especially those on Macintosh systems. It stores uncompressed linear PCM audio at up to 24-bit resolution with sample rates used in professional production (44.1, 48, 88.2, and 96 kHz). A distinctive technical trait is its reliance on the classic Mac OS resource fork for critical metadata — sample rate, bit depth, and channel configuration — while audio data resides in the data fork. This design worked elegantly within the Mac ecosystem but created portability challenges when files moved to Windows or Unix. A key advantage was SD2's support for multiple channels in a single file and tight integration with the Pro Tools editing environment, enabling non-destructive region-based editing. The format also carried loop points and markers, making it valuable for sample libraries. As Avid Technology shifted Pro Tools toward WAV and AIFF, SD2 usage declined, but millions of legacy session archives still contain SD2 files needing occasional conversion.
Initial release: 1988

Frequently Asked Questions

What is SD2?

SD2 is a specialized audio format — the Digidesign professional studio format for Pro Tools sessions.

Why convert SHN to SD2?

Specific applications require SD2 files. Lossless SHN provides clean, artifact-free source material for the conversion.

What handles SD2?

Specialized tools, SoX, and targeted professional software support SD2 audio processing and playback.

Is quality maintained?

Starting from lossless SHN ensures no prior compression artifacts — output quality depends on SD2 format capabilities.

Is the conversion secure?

SHN uploads are deleted immediately after conversion. SD2 results are removed from servers within 24 hours.