| Buying audio equipment can be daunting if you | | | | your amp or receiver, all depends on your |
| don't know your way around. Who are you | | | | speakers.YOU WANT SPEAKERS THAT SOUND LIKE |
| suppose to trust? The salesman? He'll say | | | | THEY`RE SPEAKING TO YOU!The sensitivity of |
| everything you want to hear just for a piece | | | | speakers is rated in DeciBel Sound Pressure |
| of the commission.Amps: Do you know what | | | | Level (dB SPL), at 1 metre (3.3 ft.) |
| (amps) really means for instance? Everybody | | | | distance, and at 1 watt of power. In other |
| seems to think they know what it means, the | | | | words, the higher the number the louder the |
| expression having been around for so long. | | | | speaker. This is what dictates the power you |
| Unfortunately, few know the true definition. | | | | need from your amplifier for a proper |
| In audio, there's three types of power; peak | | | | listening level and pleasure. In fact, |
| power, RMS power, and last but not least, | | | | everytime you double the wattage, you add 3 |
| music power. So let's get to it!In consumer | | | | dB to the loudness of a speaker.Example: If |
| electronics everything is measured by specs, | | | | you have a speaker that's rated at 90 dB |
| but when shopping for audio equipment, it's | | | | sensitivity, and you feed it 2 watts, it will |
| also a good idea to go listen before buying. | | | | be 92 dB loud. If you feed it 4 watts, then |
| However, since in today's high technology | | | | it will be 94 dB loud and so on at a |
| systems, it's somewhat hard to buy a bad | | | | listening distance of 3.3 ft. Factor in the |
| system (unless you go very cheap) so I | | | | loudness rop-off at a 10 foot distance (about |
| wouldn't worry about it too much. The most | | | | - 10 dB) and you can see why just 1 watt is |
| common problem for bad output is connectivity | | | | plenty loud. As a further example, a 250 watt |
| (attaching your cables or wiring).With this | | | | home theater receiver will output about 101 |
| segment, we will be your guide in | | | | dB, and a 500 watt receiver will output about |
| understanding all of the meaningless terms | | | | 104 dB.In general it's a good idea to get an |
| that tend to confuse consumers when it comes | | | | amp that is a bit more powerful than the max |
| to buying a good to excellent home theater | | | | rating of your speakers. Why? Because, not |
| audio system.CHOOSING AN AMP!A good amp | | | | enough power can cause your speakers to blow! |
| should be heavy (not on the scale) but heavy | | | | In other words, you should have more power in |
| in deliverance. In other words, a high | | | | your amp than you really need. If your |
| current amplifier is much better than one | | | | speakers have a max rating of 80 watts, your |
| that isn't! It will generally give you a much | | | | amp should be about 100 watt RMS per channel. |
| crispier sound at a given power rating, and | | | | But, don't use much bigger as you'll have the |
| won't distort the sound until you reach a | | | | same effect of blowing yourspeakers.Now, we |
| very high level.As an example, a 500 watt | | | | have Hz (hertz). Hertz is the frequency |
| high current amp is better than a 500 watt | | | | response. It is the ability to replicate |
| regular current amplifier. I don't need to | | | | sounds at different frequencies. It is |
| tell you that most all well known | | | | usually stated as a minimum and a maximum |
| manufacturers make high end receivers or | | | | value in Hz and usually with the +/- dB |
| amps. | | | | rating.Example: if you have a rated frequency |
| | | | of 50 - 20,000 Hz +/- 3 dB, this simply means |
| | | | that the speaker is 3 dB louder or quiter at |
| | | | different frequencies between 50 to 20,000 |
| WHAT IS POWER RATING?How does one compare | | | | Hz. The +/- dB rating is important, since |
| peak, RMS, and music (all in watts)? Let's | | | | without it, it could be anything including |
| begin with RMS power, which means Root Mean | | | | being totally inaudible (no sound). You |
| Square, and is the most conservative rating. | | | | absolutely need that dB rating, and the |
| You'll understand as we explain further. The | | | | smaller it is the better it is. So in |
| important thing is that the RMS ratng be | | | | general, aspeaker that creates 50 Hz sound is |
| indicated on the equipment, since it | | | | going to be much more expensive than a |
| signifies a quality manufacturer. I remember | | | | speaker that creates 65 Hz sound, even though |
| many years ago many of my friends and I | | | | both speakers can attain 20,000 Hz.You are |
| buying Marantz because the RMS (20 RMS per | | | | now a pro in understanding the workings of |
| channel) was indicated and was, and still is, | | | | audio, and no salesman will ever be able to |
| an excellent amp. (It can also be called | | | | fool you in your purchase of audio |
| 'continuous | | | | equipement. Armed with this information, you |
| | | | can generally buy online without any problems |
| averagepower').When you're comparing, what | | | | as long as you read the specs with the offer. |
| you're looking for is an 8 ohm reading or | | | | All you need to do is remember that the |
| load. Don't buy any less. If you see that a | | | | output of your receiver or amp in RMS wattage |
| manufacturer only quotes, in his specs, peak | | | | has to be somewhat stronger than your |
| power only withoutRMS, be weary. Furthermore, | | | | speakers can take, but not that much |
| if you see words like 'music power', run | | | | stronger!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
| away!Peak power is double the RMS. Peak Music | | | | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
| Power Output (PMPO) is a term used by smart | | | | ~~ |
| salesmen when trying to sell you small | | | | |
| wattage speakers that can be made to sound | | | | Do your homework on home theater audio and |
| like 100 watt speakers. Stay away from these | | | | speaker systems, especially the wireless home |
| types of speakers.Remember, as I learned in | | | | theater systems before you buy. You want the |
| IT school, that volts X amps = watts. So how | | | | sound to give you joy that will last last |
| many watts RMS do you need per channel from | | | | forever! |