Thursday, December 25, 2014

Multi-Room Audio: You Have Many Options

Why Choose a Whole House Audio system? Most people choose to have a whole house system because it allows them to take their music and audio with them regardless of which room they happen to be in at the moment. A whole house system allows you to carry on your life without being plugged into an iPod. You can have conversations with your children, spouse, and guests while listening to the ball game or your favorite tunes. What is on your honey do list for this weekend? You have to clean out the garage. No problem. You can take your music with you. You have to do all of the yard work too? No problem, take the game outside and listen while you work. A whole house system allows you to go about your life and still be able to do the things you want to do like just listening to the ball game.
What are my Choices?
The two big choices are single source systems or multi-source systems. Those can be set up as a wireless audio system or hardwired. The biggest difference is in the quality. The quality of the audio you receive goes up tremendously with professional installation. One consideration is the fact that every room in your home has different audio needs as each room responds differently to sound. A professional will be able to recognize the acoustic requirements of every room in your home.
Features include wall mounted volume dials that allow you to instantly adjust the volume of your audio specifically for that room. Most systems allow you to turn rooms on or off with a remote. No use waking your neighbors up at 3 am when you start to watch Jurassic Park and the outdoor system is streaming dinosaurs fighting. Streaming music is another option with built in iPod docking stations that allow the contents of your iPod to be played over your whole house system or multi-room audio system.
Components:
There is a variety of complete audio packages. These pre-configured systems include speakers, wire, keypads, and everything else you need to set up a multi-room audio system. You can build your own system or allow one of our pros to help you select components that fit your audio needs. Start with an Amp and Keypad package or individual components. From there, you can add in power amplifiers to build a custom sound. Speaker selectors allow you to control which rooms receive audio and when. These allow you to control the overall sound throughout your home. Speakers are another area where choice plays a large part in the quality you receive. A professional installation will allows you to add speakers in your ceiling and even add in-wall units. The type of speakers that you choose makes a difference. Wireless setups allow you to broadcast audio without installing wires. These can afford an advantage to really customizing speaker location. Abus Audio components allow seamless streaming of audio via Cat5 cables.
New Builds and Retrofit
It is obviously easier to install a multi-room audio system during construction, but most of us are not building a new home. That means either using a wireless audio system or installing wires. That is where a professional installer comes in handy. Not only do they understand how to run wires the correct way, they know where wires should go and how to hide them. They can also make sure that all of your components are installed correctly and that all systems are working. They can even give you an overview of how to use the system.
There are a lot of advantages of having a whole house system. The systems range from simple to complex, but the grade of sound should always be professional. When you decide you want home audio choose your components carefully. Working with a professional can make a huge difference in the quality of the audio you receive. Understanding that not every room in your home is going to respond the same way to audio is important. By customizing speaker selection to each room, you gain a huge advantage in the quality of the audio that each room receives. No more popping and crackly connections. As you begin to explore all of your options feel free to ask for our guidance, we are always happy to answer your questions or show you what a component does.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Home Audio Furniture for Beginners

There are many choices in home furniture for a home theatre. Some choices are better for your needs than others. In order to get the best furniture to meet your needs, you should have a clear idea of what you need, seek out a reputable company, and have clear knowledge of what all options are.
The most important concept in buying furniture that many people often overlook is the idea that the furniture should be not what's best, but what is "best for you." The most expensive furniture does not always yield the highest satisfaction. However, furniture that was purchased after a well-thought-out decision will often leave the buyer with a higher degree of satisfaction. Remember, while it is a good idea to take other's opinions into consideration, the important thing is that the furniture works for you.
In order to know what you need, you should have an accurate idea of what goals you want to achieve with your home theatre system. If your goal is a state-of-the-art home theatre experience, then your furniture should reflect your systems. Comfortable chairs and high-quality tables can enhance the home theatre experience. Consider every detail, including the color of the furniture. The most appealing home theatre systems often have a color scheme that is very pleasing to the eye. Always get second opinions when deciding on colors. Depending on the type of speakers you have, you might also want to have something special to hold the speakers in. Some of the best home-theatres have surround sound. This effect can be achieved by spreading the speakers around high quality furniture. Depending on what you want, you can decide beforehand how much money you are willing to spend on your home theatre arrangement.
Additionally, before one goes to make a purchase, the layout of the room should be measured accurately. This can be done very simply with measuring tape. You could possibly mark spots on the walls where the furniture will go. It is always a good idea to draw plans and view multiple arrangements. Some furniture takes up a significantly higher amount of space than other furniture. Therefore, knowing how much room you have to work with can make the furniture choice much more efficient and enjoyable.
The final thing that you should consider before buying furniture is the company. There are lots of furniture companies out there, and some of them have lower quality furniture, and bad service. The best companies will be willing to invest their time in order to help you create the best home theatre possible. It is always a good idea to get recommendations from friends about a certain company. Some companies may offer bad advice or try to convince you to spend more money on furniture that will not best fit your needs.
Buying furniture for a home theatre can seem like an extremely daunting task. However, it can be efficient and enjoyable if you take the time to educate yourself about what options are available, what exactly you are looking for, and what are the best companies out there. Well-educated decisions are always more rewarding than decisions made with a severe lack of knowledge. If you inform yourself, your home theatre system will surely be the envy of your friends and family.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

How To Stream Audio Through Your Home

A large number of wireless audio transmitter products have emerged over the years. They promise to cut the cord to your audio equipment. We will examine the impact of new technologies on the performance of these products. Also, we'll examine if they keep their promise of eliminating the cable clutter.
The first form of wireless audio transmission was in the form of AM and FM radio stations. While still being popular today, FM radio is now being replaced by new technologies including HD radio, satellite radio and DAB broadcasts. A range of today's wireless consumer products cut the cord such as wireless surround sound kits, baby monitors, wireless microphones and Bluetooth transmitters.
Setting up speakers in another room and distributing music throughout the house are some of the applications of wireless audio. Many homes are not wired for audio. The technologies used today all have pros and cons as we will examine.
FM transmitters are using the most traditional technology in which audio is sent by changing the frequency of a radio-frequency carrier. The technology, which is called frequency modulation (FM), is fairly simple and cost-effecive to build and offers high range. While most of today's 900 MHz products use FM transmission, FM has some major problems.
FM transmissions will pick up static which is noticeable as a background hiss depending on the location of the wireless receiver. The reason for the varying quality is a phenomenon called multipath fading which is a result of reflected radio waves cancelling each other out. Using two antennae is one method some devices cope with this problem (diversity receivers). Another problem is that FM radios easily pick up interference from competing wireless transmitters.
Another technology which has gained popularity recently is called Bluetooth. Bluetooth was originally designed to connect computer peripheral devices wirelessly. Before the signal is broadcast, Bluetooth transmitters will convert the audio into a digital format. One of the advantages is the high robustness against wireless interference. However, Bluetooth was not designed for audio transmissions. Therefore is does have several problems. Bluetooth only offers a range of 30 ft or less and will compress the audio since it does not offer enough space to transmit an uncompressed CD-quality signal. Due to the compression, the audio quality will be degraded compared to the original. Another problem is that Bluetooth will introduce a delay or latency to the signal during the transmission. This delay is a particular problem for video and surround sound applications. In these applications the sound from the wireless speakers would be out of sync with the video and remaining speakers.
The technologies used for satellite radio and terrestrial digital radio offer high range. However, they also use extensive audio compression. Further, a delay of up to several seconds is introduced.
Another technology sends the audio digitally without using audio compression. The signal will retain the original quality by avoiding audio compression. This technology offers an audio latency of less than 1 ms. Therefore these transmitters can be used for wireless speaker kits in a home theater setup and other real-time applications.
To be robust against interference from other wireless devices, this technology uses forward error correction. This mechanism can repair errors during the transmission. Some recent products use the 5.8 GHz frequency band which is less crowded than the 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz bands. The result is high reliability. Other than Bluetooth, this technology can operate and number of receivers per transmitter which is key for sending audio to several locations throughout the house.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Home Theater Surround Sound System - How Much You Spend Depends on the Size of Your Room

If you want to liven up the living room, then buying a home theater surround sound system can do such a thing for you. These home theaters surround sound systems usually comprise of several sets of speakers, TV and a data source like a DVD or Blue Ray device. The entire sound system package provides your residence with the right kind of entertainment that your dwelling needs.
However, buying a residential theater surround sound package is something that you need to think about since you have to spend several thousands of dollars just so you can buy a whole set. The question now is that how much do you have to spend for your residential entertainment combo? The answer just lies on how large your room is.
Small-sized room (200 square feet)
If you have a small room, then you can buy an entertainment system for only $500 or less. You will be paying for the receiver, five speakers and a subwoofer. You do not get much but why does your room need a lot of speakers for?
Medium-sized room (300 square feet)
You may need to spend a system that is worth between $500 and $1500. This system already include the high-end receiver an HDMI-equipped upscaling receiver and a 5.1 speaker package to give you a surround sound system that you will surely fall in love with.
Large-sized room (more than 300 square feet)

Monday, December 1, 2014

Benefits of Using USB Audio Interface

A good home recording studio should have a good audio device. The audio interface is a piece of equipment that handles the audio input and output from your computer. Contrary to common belief, a USB audio interface is not a sound card but rather much more than that; its proliferation is actually one of the best thing to happen to the industry of music technology. This simple device provides the best benefits that professional recording companies have been enjoying for a longest time but without the price that could very well match your second mortgage. Simply put, using this audio interface is the most affordable way to enjoy music recording.
A USB audio interface is a device that allows a computer with a sound card but with no audio socket, to be connected to external equipment through the USB socket. The specification of the USB characterizes a standard interface allowing the USB audio device with a single driver to work properly with the different USB sound gadgets and interfaces available on the market.
Many people are concerned about certain factors when taking into consideration using this type of audio device; the quality of the sound and the availability of the channels. A high speed USB audio interface is a better choice than a Firewire interface if you will be doing one or two channels at a single period of time and not more than that. That means that the number of available channels is limited by the USB device.
Audio quality on the other hand is affected by the kind and use of microphones and by the intensity of the signal of the audio. If the auditory signal is at the right level, USB audio devices do not have to do much to alter the sound of the audio; this means that the signal is plainly translated from analog signal to digital.
Types:
Generally, these audio devices are available in 2 categories the stereo and the multichannel devices and they are available in professional and consumer versions. And most are compatible with USB 1.0 as well as with USB 2.0, which makes it easy to get the device working with any computer produced within the last five years. This device connects to your computer with the use of an average USB connector and to the audio device with any kind of connectors.
Sizes:
These audio devices range from 3 x 1 inch and up and the sizes differ because of the variety and availability of the connectors that can be used. For a smaller USB device, a 1/8-inch port input with a 1/8-inch port output is ideal.
There are certainly many advantages in using USB audio interface and one such advantage is that it can be powered up by the USB port, which allows the device to be equally useful for laptops. One of the best benefits and the main reason why it is the most patronized audio interface is because it is highly affordable in comparison with a PCI-based sound interface. It can provide high quality audio recording result without ripping you off.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

A Review Of Wireless Speaker Kits For Your Home

Latest-generation wireless audio products such as iPods, iPhones and wireless surround sound products promise to cut the cord while delivering crystal-clear audio. We will look at some of the most recent products to find out which applications they work for.
Some products come with wireless already built in while others, in particular streaming audio products, often have optional wireless capability. Newest touch-screen iPods and iPhones already have WiFi and Bluetooth built in.
Bluetooth is fairly common as a low-cost wireless solution. However, Bluetooth does have some drawbacks. These weaknesses are often overlooked but will have an impact on high-quality audio applications.
1) Short range
The range of Bluetooth devices is typically only 30 ft. This excludes Bluetooth from multi-room applications.
2) Limited data transmission capacity
Bluetooth will apply audio compression since it does not reliably offer a high-enough data rate for uncompressed audio. Audio compression will degrade the audio quality to some extent. High-quality audio transmission typically does not tolerate this type of degradation. Therefore Bluetooth is normally not used in high-end audio products.
3) Audio delay
The audio will experience a delay of at least 10 ms mostly due to the audio compression which is a problem for real-time audio applications but less critical for MP3 players.
4) No support of multiple headphones
Bluetooth cannot stream to multiple headphones at the same time. This may be a problem in cases where several people want to listen to the same Bluetooth transmitter.
Another common protocol is WiFi which supports uncompressed audio but also has problems simultaneously streaming to multiple receivers. It is convenient for streaming music from a PC due to the high availability but is normally not used in wireless headphone products due to the relatively high power consumption of WiFi.
Home wireless speaker products and wireless amplifiers normally use proprietary protocols. These protocols are specially designed for real-time audio applications. However, entry-level wireless speakers and headphones still use FM transmission. FM transmission suffers from fairly high audio distortion and hiss / static.
More recent wireless audio protocols are based on digital transmission. This avoids audio degradation. Some protocols also incorporate error correction to deal with interference from other wireless devices.
Newest-generation wireless amplifiers allow streaming to an unlimited number of receivers and support uncompressed audio transmission.
The audio latency of these wireless amplifiers is normally between 1 ms and 20 ms. A small-latency amplifier is critical for home theater audio. This ensures that all speakers will be in sync. Wireless audio transmitters typically work at 2.4 GHz or sometimes in the less crowded 5.8 GHz frequency band.
Wireless amplifiers offer different levels of audio quality, output power and standby power. Wireless Class-D amplifiers normally have standby power of 5 Watts or less and a power efficiency of greater than 80% but sometimes high audio distortion. Picking a low-distortion amplifier is key. Good-quality wireless amplifiers have audio distortion of less than 0.05%.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Two Essential Factors to Consider Before Buying A Home Theater System

There are different types of home theater systems which include 7.1, 5.1 and 2.1. In these systems, the first digit usually refers to the number of main speakers and the .1 refers to a subwoofer. Most of you might think while having so many speakers, a subwoofer is of no importance. But you must know that a sub-woofer is really necessary because many speakers do not deliver the high level of bass which is important while listening to music jazz.
Therefore, you must be aware of all the components of a home theater before you buy a home theater system for your house.
Sound Quality
Normally, if you are looking to install your home theater in a large room then you must pick at least 10-inch woofer cone. Instead, if t is a small room than a 5.1 home theater system will do for it which has 5 main speakers and one subwoofer. This includes 2 Surround Speakers, 2 front speakers and one centre-channel speaker where as in case of a 7.1 speaker system there are 2 more rear speakers in addition to the above. Hence, you can choose any of the above home theater systems according to your desire.
After selecting the best type of sound system for your room theater, the next thing is to experience the wound quality manually. A best sound system would produce the output sound from different speakers for movie dialogue and background music. This can be felt by the minor delay caused in the output sound. However, this is difficult to detect but a clear understanding of this will give you an idea about the difference in sound from different speakers.
Video Quality
If you are satisfied with the sound quality of the home theater then the most important thing is its video quality. The picture and video quality of a theater is the one which pays off your money for a brand new home theater. The picture display must be of high quality 3D in HD. Make sure that the video connection for the DVD player component connection and is better than S-video or composite video. The advantage with this is that if can transmit up to 480p video along with HD video signals using three separate jacks.
In this Scenario, the HDMI connection stands out the best. This is because it can transfer HD video signals using a single cable for both audio and video signals and hence, increasing the frequency of the audio and video signals. Therefore having HDMI signal would ensure that the frequency signals are not reduced due to different cables for audio and video and hence, the system less input power and gives maximum output.
Now, it is important to use the best player suitable to your need. Most of the DVD players gives an output of 480i or 480p (scan lines of progressive scan). This is good for a normal TV but nowadays most users have high definition TV like LCD or Plasma. Therefore, if you have such high definition TV in your room then it is preferable to go with a player which can deliver HD quality such as 1080p. Blu-ray disc player is the best example of high quality players that can be connected to a home theater system.
Therefore, before you buy a home theater system ensure that the system comprises all the above components and make sure that it has the capacity to withstand and deliver the goods. Apart from the above said, small other things must also be kept in mind like the USB ports. The usage becomes lot easy if the player has ports for USB and memory so that you can play your files directly from your desktop or iPod. Finally, ask the retailer to provide you with one month exchange warranty if at all you are not satisfied with the equipment.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Trouble Shooting Home Theater Audio Problems

Experiencing audio problems with your new home cinema system can be very frustrating since sound is one of the basic elements of the home theater experience.Many people would likely agree that the audio quality of a home theater system is just as crucial and possibly even more so than the home theater system video quality. An excellent audio element makes the cinema come to life right in your residence.

There are many problems which can arise with your sound system. Some are significant and necessitate replacement of home theater components. Others can be fixed with a minor adjustment. This is not a complete troubleshooting manual, but rather some advice for you if your home theater system provides poor sound quality.

Usually your first thought might be to conclude that your poor audio quality is caused by your speakers, before you immediately race out to purchase a new home theater surround sound speaker package, check the basic things first.

The problem might not be in the speakers, but in the amplifier or the connections from the amplifier. Checking and ensuring that the speakers are correctly connected on both ends is the first step.
After the connections pass examination, the next step is to check if the problem lies with the amplifier or audio speaker. Some of the lower end home theater systems come with low powered amps. Most often they do not supply sufficient power to speakers to produce the quality audio you desire. This may show up particularly if the room is large when the sound doesn't fill up the room.
To determine if it is indeed the amplifier then hook up your speakers to a stereo; this generally will have a more powerful amp. If the speaker quality improves then the problem probably lies in your home theater amplifier. If you can not distinguish any difference, then your speakers could possibly be at fault.

Poor cable installation and audio speaker cable are another possible cause for consideration. Cheap workmanship can lower audio quality and home theater packages often come equipped with inexpensive poor quality cables.
If you experience problems with your theater system, it is always best to assume the problem lies in the connections between components first and then suspect the components themselves. To ensure a great sound experience ensure that everything is properly connected, your amp is of sufficient power, and the cables are of high quality. If a person makes use of these basic easy precautions a significant amount of frustration can be eliminated. If your home theater sound isn't where you need it to be, use those hints as a blueprint as you analyze your system. If it really is time to look for new components, consider those directives as you make your next purchase.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Advantages of Home Theater Systems

Have you ever wondered why people prefer to pay just to watch movie at the cinema? The answer is simple. It is simply because the sound system is excellent and the screen is bigger. This is great if you are watching action movies. However, with the advance technology today, home theater system is designed to bring satisfaction to users who want to enjoy watching movie at home. This system will give the amazing experience that you just can't get from a normal television set. It consists of a big screen LCD and a set of speakers.
Here are some of the main advantages of having home theater system at home. First of all, the main important difference of using this system is the sound effects. You can just compare the sound quality with an ordinary television. Using this system, you can actually listen to each and every word clearly including the breathing and sigh sounds. The good thing is the sound projection is 180 degree. You will have left, right and center speakers so that the sounds are spread evenly in your living room. If you can listen clearly, some of the movies has different soundtrack coming from the right speaker and left speaker. This is the sound system effect for most of the action movies.
Another great thing about this home theater system is the screen. You are able to watch your movies clearly and watch in the dark. Using this system, the images are clearer and sharper compared to using normal television. Some people may not feel the need to watch movie at a bigger screen but you will surely feel the difference as you don't have to stress your eyes watching movies at a small screen television.
These are among the great experiences of having a home theater system at home. Now, you don't have to queue for hours and spend extra bucks just to buy your movie ticket. You can always watch movies at home at your own comfort zone and during your leisure time!

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Buy Cheap Home Audio Subwoofers

So you experienced good sound in your car and you want to bring the same music to your living room. This is possible.
Home audio subwoofers are now available for your purchase. When investing in one, the same rules on car audio subwoofers apply.
In a home theater system, the subwoofer is the biggest speaker. This is usually hidden in the back of the room but this is the unit that carries the lowest bass sound signals.
When you're watching a movie that showcases the sound of thunder or the crash of earthquake, you would think that it is actually happening within your home.
If you have one, it's like you brought the movie house to your loved ones. You can truly be immersed in the DVDs that you pop in.
Those who want to buy are on a lookout for nice looking subwoofers to add to their home theater sound system. Home audio subwoofers, even when hidden, are still designed for aesthetic purposes.
There is something about speakers that are appealing to the audiophile and the movie lover. It may not be as portable as car subwoofers so if you are buying one, make sure that this is the one you will really use in your home. This should also be something that you can benefit from for a long period time.
The first thing you should do is set it up in such a way that it will look good in your living room. The wires shouldn't be cluttered. You can do this by getting the high-gauge cables and set it up near the speakers.
You should also double check whether the amplifier goes well with your subwoofers and speakers. Like in car subwoofers, the home audio subwoofers should be compatible with both the speakers and the amplifier.
You may have the top notch home audio subwoofers available in the market today but if these don't work well with your speakers and your amplifiers, then it would just be pointless.
Setting it up is easy, you can even do it yourself. You just have to connect the line level cable from the subwoofer preamp output of the AV receiver. Then you can plug this into the subwoofer.
When you turn this on, modulate the volume in your ideal level. You can also manipulate the settings so that the home audio subwoofers give you the sound that you've been meaning to hear.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Eliminating that Terrible Hum From Your Home Theater Speakers

You've all heard it, that dreaded 60Hz hum through the speakers of a home theater or house audio system. Hopefully you heard it at a friend's house and not your own. It can drive you completely nuts. You may have even tried, unsuccessfully, to fix the little noise problem. That can make you even more crazy. What causes that horrendous noise through your speakers?
More often than not humming through your speakers is caused by a grounding problem. There are three main ground problems that cause problems in an audio / video system. These are ground loops, improper grounding and lack of a ground altogether. The other possible culprits that can cause noise are bad cables, a faulty piece of equipment or electrical noise from a lighting dimmer or electric motor. There are steps you can take to troubleshoot the noise and eliminate it from you theater.
The first step is find out where it is coming from. Disconnect your source and display equipment from your receiver or surround sound processor. If the noise stops, connect them back to the receiver or processor on at a time until the noise returns. When the hum comes back, you found where the noise is entering your system. Note that if you are connecting remote equipment, such as running the signal from your theater room DVD player to the TV in the bedroom, your chances to pick up noise increase dramatically. With such long runs, noise can be induced into the long cable runs from adjacent electrical wiring. It is also easy to create a ground loop, because the equipment is plugged into two different, widely separated outlets, on different electrical circuits.
If the noise is caused by a cable box, the noise is likely caused by the cable TV ground. To test this theory, disconnect the incoming cable TV feed to the rear of the cable box or TV while they are still connected to the rest of the system. If the noise is eliminated by disconnecting the TV cable, the problem is the cable TV ground. You can electrically decouple the cable TV feed from your system with a ground breaking transformer. These are available from many sources. Be advised that many newer, digital cable TV systems require any device in the signal chain to pass a full 1,000 Mhz. Some of the older ground break transformers will not do this. Be sure to check the specifications of whatever device you are purchasing to verify it will pass the digital cable TV signal.
If the noise is from your projector, TV, or monitor, it is most likely caused because the video display device is plugged into a different outlet than the other a/v equipment. It could be on a different circuit as well. These circuits may have two different ground potentials. That is, the resistance to ground is different on each circuit. A difference in resistance to ground from one ground point to another can cause the dreaded ground loop. If you get a ground loop, current flows between the two components. If the current flows through the components internal audio signal ground, you will get a hum.
You can use an isolation transformer, similar to the type used for cable TV ground problems, to eliminate the electrical connection from one component to the other. These transformers are inserted in line with the audio signal connection between the two components. If there is no audio connection between the components, the problem may be current flowing through the video portion. In this case, a video isolation transformer should be used to eliminate the ground loop.
Sometimes power conditioners will stop noise problems by placing equipment on different, electrically isolated outlets. This is done using isolation transformers. Sometimes this is ineffective however, due to the differences in internal construction of different power conditioning equipment. Some safety regulations, such as UL 1950, specify that an isolation transformer is only allowed to isolate the hot and neutral wires; the grounding wire must be passed straight through. If this is the case, the ground loop problem may still exist because many communication circuits are connected to the grounding conductor and not the neutral. In this case, the isolation transformer, or any power conditioner or UPS with an isolation transformer will have absolutely no affect on the grounding problem.
The noise may be generated externally, from a dimmer or refrigerator compressor for example, and coming in through the main power input on the audio video equipment. In this case, a high quality power conditioner may be effective in reducing or eliminating the noise problem. You may also find that one of the signal interconnecting cables in your system is faulty. This can also cause noise problems. Check for this by swapping the cables with one that you know to be good.
You can solve most noise problems in your home theater or multi room audio/video system by taking the systematic, step-by-step approach. Work your way up the signal chain, eliminating each piece of equipment as you go. If you have nothing connected to your speakers except the speaker wiring, and they still hum, the problem is noise induced into the speaker wiring from adjacent power cables. Other than that case, most problems are caused by ground problems, which you can find, and solve, if you take it one step at a time.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

How to Choose a Home Audio System

When buying a home theater system there's a few things to keep in mind. This process can be complicated with all the components that are involved with home audio. It's always a good idea to make sure your investments are future proof. The best way to do this is by researching and finding out whats next in home audio. Get information on 3D ready receivers, or receivers that measure your room, by auto tuning. This process automatically matches sound to your speakers and room size. Learn about smart TVs that connect to the internet for online entertainment. These are just a few things to keep in mind when looking for home audio.

Do you want to choose your components and build your dream system? Or would you like to save time purchasing a system that's already complete? When you buy a home theater in a box, it comes ready with color coded plugs that make installation fast and easy. These systems are factory tuned so everything works well together. This would be a quick fix to home theater entertainment. If you have a little knowledge about home audio and know what name brands you like, or what look you want. Than purchasing separate components might be a good option for you.

There are a couple key elements to think about. HI-FI Blue-Ray DVD players that come with built in WI-FI and USB slots. These slots allow you to plug and play music, picture or videos. Smart TVs, video streamers, and video games like Sony PlayStation connect to the internet for online entertainment. All these devices connect together through HDMI plugs. You have to use HDMI connections to experience 3D and 1080 television.
Today there are many receivers to choose from. Onkyo, Samsung, Sony, and Yamaha just to name a few. Most of these receivers share the same types of features. The ability to auto tune, adjust speaker volume and different sound modes, these are generally standard features. Some receivers are a little more complicated than others. Some offering things like assignable HDMI channels, multi room capabilities, or 3D ready and special sound decoding.

Some receivers have more slots that allow you to hook up more components (like 4 or 5 HDMI In/Out slots, or sub woofer out slots). With some receivers you can control the volume of each component right from your remote control. If you have a lot of components in your system than this is something to pay attention to. Satellite radio and iPod hook ups are some great features to look for.

When buying a home audio receiver keep in mind the things you may add to your system in the future. Make sure you have extra slots for all your future purchases.

Monday, October 27, 2014

Home Theater System Setup Guidelines

Nowadays, most people have audio visual system at home. It is extremely popular not only for music lovers but also for the movie fanatics as well. This technology is considered to be a big competition to cinemas as people tends to stay at home watching movies instead of watching in cinemas. A good knowledge of home theater setup is important in order to get the best viewing and listening experience possible for home relaxation and home entertainment.
There are many factors in setting up a home theater system. One of these factors is taking into consideration the shape and size of the room where you are placing the home theater system. The system must match the size of the room in order to get the best possible surround sound and life like performance. Small room should use lesser power speakers and lesser number of speakers compared to a much bigger room. A home-theater-in-a-box may be enough for small rooms. This consists of a 5.1 sub-sat system. If you have a bigger room, this home-theater-in-a-box setup may not be adequate. You may consider using bookshelf speakers or even some floor standing designs. In addition, you can gear towards 7.1 home theater systems. Some people start with small systems consisting of 2 front speakers first. Then, they add some speakers in a later time. This is possible if you are in a limited budget, however, make sure that all speakers compliment and match each other in acoustics and sound quality. You cannot get a realistic surround sound if your speakers are imbalance, with different sound quality and frequency response.
Aside from size of the room, you also need to consider the room acoustics. The walls should absorb the sound coming from your speakers instead of bouncing it. You can choose a soft wall materials as well as addition of thick curtains. Carpeting of floor is also a good solution in avoiding room echo.
Other components of a home entertainment system are DVD players or Blu-ray players, home theater receivers and the visuals, such as TV or Projector. Some are including the gaming consoles in the setup of their home entertainment room. The selection of the components will vary depending on your requirements as well as how much you are willing to invest for such package. Aside from the main components, another important factors in home theater system are the accessories, such as speaker cables and audio-visual cables. These cables largely affect the system performance. If you have a high-end system, it is a good practice to use a high-end cables as well to get the most out of your system.
Do not forget that you also need to consider the type of furniture for your entertainment room as this will also affect your relaxation and viewing pleasure. This may include the TV stand and component desk and speaker stands, couch and home theater seats. Lastly, seating position relative to visuals and speakers should also be designed properly to get the best possible viewing and listening experience from your home entertainment system.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Article Marketing - How to Sell Home Audio Theater Systems & Speakers With Article Writing

The home audio system market is a lucrative market to be in. Because there is money to be made, there is also intense competition. Many distributors are starting to look at how to sell more audio products through their website. If you are looking for long term profits, article marketing would be an appropriate Internet marketing method.
Tip 1: Write about audio trends.
Tip 2: Capitalize on best selling systems by writing product reviews.
Tip 3: Provide tips on how to setup a home audio theater system properly.
Tip 1: Write about audio trends.
Technology and engineering methods are constantly evolving. Pick up any audio magazine and you will notice tons of new research being released by sound labs each month. These are interesting topics that you can write about. To position yourself as the expert, don't just provide content. Give opinions as well. For example, let your readers know what you think about the latest audio speakers released by brand X.
Tip 2: Capitalize on best selling systems by writing product reviews.
What is the number 1 selling home system in the market today? You can write articles based on these products and try to attract more customers. Since these models are best selling products, you already know that consumers will be searching for more information about these products on the Internet. All you have to do is to provide them with the information they want, and then sell them the products on your website.
Tip 3: Provide tips on how to setup a home audio theater system properly.
Provide basic tips for beginners and help them get started. The range of audio products is huge. Beginners often have a hard time making a buying decision. Help them refocus by writing articles on how to select the right speakers or audio systems. For example, you can recommend a few models that are ideal for smaller apartments. You can also write about the best spots to place home speakers. How about providing some tips on how to hide speaker wires? Such articles will attract beginners and hardcore audiophiles - your target customers.
Want to learn how to get to the top of Google using Article Marketing? I have the tools, knowledge, and resources to help you achieve your traffic and income goals.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Home Audio Systems for Use in Multiple Rooms

Imagine being able to take pleasure in your home by enjoying the sound of your favorite music flooding the rooms, hallways, kitchens and bathrooms. The technology of today has worked efficiently to make this sort of creative thinking possible by providing your household with in-ceiling speakers that are very easily controlled with just a keypad or wireless remote control. Dinner parties can now extend with no interruption from one room to the next without ever having to worry about the musical mood not following. If you would like to change the pace of the evening from calm to more upbeat, it is so easy with just the touch from your iPad. This makes it more convenient to enjoy your guests, your parties and your life.
Music has evolved into such an important part of everyday life. With such impressive advancements in technology, it is surprising that music does not follow us around everywhere. Well, now you can add a charming melody to a romantic evening. This greatly enhances the mood and allows you to stretch your creativity muscles. While setting a mood, take pleasure in entertaining simply by enjoying your favorite band or artist in accurate and detailed stereo sound.
Getting creative with technology and sound allows you to design a music system that is tailored to your personal interests. You can work with the company prior to installing to make sure that your needs are met from the perspective of the casual listener to even the most distinguished aficionado. Today's creative technology works happily in building systems that integrate very easily into clients' chaotic lifestyles while maintaining their invisible presence within the homes and businesses.
The options for audio for a home theater are overwhelming due to the array of possibilities offered with today's creative audio systems. Invite a specialist to your home to analyze your room acoustics. This will help the company prepare a tailored audio system for your room or perhaps recommend an existing system. Either way, your home theater will be equipped with the perfect speaker for every individual application. There are so many speaker choices available.
Calling or visiting a site will help to give you an idea as to what could possibly happen for your home theater. Express your ideas and let others take care of executing your creativity. The technology is here and it is possible. Impress yourself by being impressed by your home.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Get The Right Audio Cable For Your Home Theatre System

In the early days of video game consoles and home computers, the term "audio cable" only applied to one kind of cable. Anyone who was around during the rise of computers and computer games remembers the RCA cable with yellow plugs at each end that was designed to deliver the best possible sound quality for devices such as video games, televisions and VCRs. As VCRs turned into DVD players, the RCA cable was still king. But once Blu-Ray and high definition plasma televisions made their way onto the scene, the need for fuller sound increased.
Today, televisions and Blu-Ray players connect to stereo receivers through one of two connections. There is the composite RCA sound connection, or the HDMI output. The composite RCA jack is a bit higher quality than the older RCA standard, but it can still be a bit limiting. The HDMI sound output was considered to be the highest quality sound connection available for many years. In recent times, the optical sound cable has emerged as the Cadillac of sound conversion for video games, televisions and Blu-Ray players. As more and more devices start to become equipped with optical jacks, the landscape of audio changes yet again.
Another element of audio connection that is improving and changing is the connection between portable music players and exterior speaker systems. Since the music and the connection are based on digital sound, the highest quality jacks and cabling can be used to get the best possible sound. Right now, a high quality version of the RCA standard is what is being used to get music from devices such as iPods on to large speakers and through the speaker systems in cars. But as the technology continues to change and evolve, there will most certainly be something that can expand the sound even more to get real surround from a small music player.
Audio has become just as important as video when it comes to quality. There are even high quality headphone extension cables that will prevent and degradation of sound from the player to the headphones. When people install home theatre systems, they want the best possible sound for their money. HDMI and optical sound cables stand as the highest possible achievement for home theatre sound. That could change in the years to come, but these two standards still offer some of the broadest and highest possible sound quality available for any home system.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Home Audio

When putting together a home audio recording studio, there is no doubt that equipment will play a major factor in the success of the recordings. However, this does not mean you have to pay top dollar for everything you purchase. Most people are going to initially navigate to the well established brand names. And if you have thousands of extra dollars collecting dust, why not? These companies manufacture great equipment. But it is not necessary to limit yourself to these brands. In fact there are countless other companies out there that produce top-notch equipment and at much more reasonable prices. I have made it a point to do my homework before making any purchases. And it has seemed to work well for me. Here are a few tips when it comes to purchasing equipment for your home audio recording studio.
1. Before any recording is done, make sure the recording space sounds good! Test the area with room measurement software. REW Room EQ Wizard is amazing... and free. Adequately treat the problem areas with bass traps and broadband absorbers. There is no point in having quality equipment if the room sounds like crap.
2. Research! This is why God gave us the internet. There are a ton of great recording forums out there that can teach you everything you need to know about equipment. Members of these forums may be able to lead you in the direction of some low-cost gems. Also check out the review sections on music instrument retail sites.
3. Check out equipment shootout videos on the internet. There are plenty of quality videos that compare equipment from different brands. Use your ears. Decide what you like best. It's okay to pay attention to brand names, put don't put too much value on them. There are less well-known companies out there that make excellent equipment. Seek them out. Quality doesn't have to come with a high price tag.
4. Study the fundamentals of setting up a recording studio. Good equipment is of little use if you have no idea how to set it up correctly. Just imagine having several thousand dollars invested in microphones. Now envision an unsatisfactory final project because you neglected to learn the proper placement of these audio-capture devices. Extremely depressing, isn't it?
5. Practice! Learn your equipment just like you would a music instrument. Get accustomed to all the features. Regardless of the quality of the equipment, you have to know how to use it. Being able to get the maximum capability out of your equipment can make all the difference.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Home Audio Systems for Use in Multiple Rooms

Imagine being able to take pleasure in your home by enjoying the sound of your favorite music flooding the rooms, hallways, kitchens and bathrooms. The technology of today has worked efficiently to make this sort of creative thinking possible by providing your household with in-ceiling speakers that are very easily controlled with just a keypad or wireless remote control. Dinner parties can now extend with no interruption from one room to the next without ever having to worry about the musical mood not following. If you would like to change the pace of the evening from calm to more upbeat, it is so easy with just the touch from your iPad. This makes it more convenient to enjoy your guests, your parties and your life.
Music has evolved into such an important part of everyday life. With such impressive advancements in technology, it is surprising that music does not follow us around everywhere. Well, now you can add a charming melody to a romantic evening. This greatly enhances the mood and allows you to stretch your creativity muscles. While setting a mood, take pleasure in entertaining simply by enjoying your favorite band or artist in accurate and detailed stereo sound.
Getting creative with technology and sound allows you to design a music system that is tailored to your personal interests. You can work with the company prior to installing to make sure that your needs are met from the perspective of the casual listener to even the most distinguished aficionado. Today's creative technology works happily in building systems that integrate very easily into clients' chaotic lifestyles while maintaining their invisible presence within the homes and businesses.
The options for audio for a home theater are overwhelming due to the array of possibilities offered with today's creative audio systems. Invite a specialist to your home to analyze your room acoustics. This will help the company prepare a tailored audio system for your room or perhaps recommend an existing system. Either way, your home theater will be equipped with the perfect speaker for every individual application. There are so many speaker choices available.
Calling or visiting a site will help to give you an idea as to what could possibly happen for your home theater. Express your ideas and let others take care of executing your creativity. The technology is here and it is possible. Impress yourself by being impressed by your home.

Monday, September 29, 2014

Are Home Theater Amplifiers or Preamplifiers Necessary?

There are many lesser-known components available that are vital to creating a high-end home theater environment. Some of these components include sound equipment like a home theater amplifier or a surround sound preamplifier. If you aren't familiar with these custom home theater components, don't be overwhelmed. Below you'll find descriptions of both as well as how you can find a home theater preamplifier and amplifier that's right for your entertainment system.
The surround sound preamplifier and the home theater amplifier, though similar, are two separate components for a reason. The following is information on these components that will help you get a better understanding of what each does and how they work in unison.
Surround Sound Preamplifier
The home theater preamplifier was originally a simple component contained in the audio-visual receiver that serves as the core of a home theater system. To allow for better control over a theatre's audio quality, however, many manufacturers have begun offering preamplifiers as a separate component that can be more directly controlled. This doesn't mean that it's been completely removed from the A/V receiver and its functions. Several models such as the NAD T175 from NAD still feature decoding technology as well as control functions which allow for greater customization of the audio experience.
As the name implies, the surround sound preamplifier's job is to act as an initial amplifier for audio signals that come in to the A/V receiver. This allows the amplifier, or power amplifier (as it is also known), to have much less work to do in order to get the audio level to the point that you want it at. By using one in your system, you will also gain an additional control point for making small adjustments to the quality of your sound so that you can make everything exactly like you want it to.
Home Theater Amplifier
The home theater amplifier was also originally just a component of the A/V receiver. As the use of custom components began to rise in popularity, though, the amplifier was one of the first pieces to be separated. A separate amplifier allows for a much greater level of control when it comes to the volume and clarity of your audio, and when combined with a preamplifier, will allow you to customize your audio experience to the layout of the room or rooms that your system covers.
As previously mentioned, the home theater amplifier is sometimes referred to as the power amplifier because it is independently powered, as opposed to having to share its power with the other components of the A/V receiver. When audio information is sent to the amplifier from an A/V receiver or other decoder, it is sent as separate audio channels which are then independently amplified. The specific levels of amplification can be altered at the amplifier itself, allowing you to "shape" the end result to accentuate the specific qualities of your audio that you prefer and that work best with the acoustics of your home layout. Audio components manufacturers such as PSB strive to include as many options for audio customization as possible, ranging from basic graphics equalizers and volume controls to virtual audio effects, bass boosting technology, and the ability to emulate a wider range of sounds from individual speakers to better control the way that your home theater system plays audio.
If you are designing a very large home theater room or if you plan to have a complicated theatre layout, consider purchasing these components. When the two pieces are installed and are working together, you will have greater control over volume, better sound quality and clarity, and an optimum system for making additional customization changes to. A home theater custom installer can give you specific information about your amplifier needs if you are unclear about whether these items are right for your theater.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Article Marketing - How to Promote High End Audio Home Systems Using Article Writing

Products that cost thousands of dollars are usually harder to sell. This is especially true if you are trying to sell high end products on the Internet - a faceless medium. So how can you build up enough trust for the customer to be willing to part with thousands of dollars for a high end home audio system? Perhaps the answer lies in article marketing.
Tip 1: Provide home audio setup tips.
Tip 2: Show customers how to choose the right audio system.
Tip 3: Build trust by sharing expert knowledge.
Tip 4: In the author box, state that the content is provided by a reputable Company.
Tip 1: Provide home audio setup tips.
Writing audio related articles that show sound enthusiasts how to setup home audio systems can attract a lot of targeted traffic. These are homeowners who are interested in setting up a complete audio system in their living room, and they are searching for information on how to do that. Provide that information, and you stand a chance of making a sale.
Tip 2: Show customers how to choose the right audio system.
Pick the top audio systems in the market, and write about them. Tell your readers why you have recommended these systems. What are the strengths? And what kind of experience can the homeowners expect to have after installation?
Tip 3: Build trust by sharing expert knowledge.
It is very difficult to sell something that is worth thousands of dollars to someone who doesn't trust you. So try to build trust by sharing expert knowledge. The more good stuff you share, the more credible you sound.
Tip 4: In the author box, state that the content is provided by a reputable Company.
Finally, customers want to know who they are buying from. If you have been in this business for years, let the customers know in the author box.
Want to learn how to get to the top of Google using Article Marketing? I have the tools, knowledge, and resources to help you achieve your traffic and income goals.

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Home Audio Recording Fun

I'm not even sure how old I was when I got the gift for Christmas, but I remember thinking it was a pretty impressive piece of electronic hardware. It was really cool looking (technologically speaking), and I was awfully proud to own it. It certainly made for lots of fun times.
What was this high-tech gift, you ask? Why, it was a tape recorder! It was a monographic, reel to reel tape deck that came with it's own plug-in microphone. I could hold that mic up to my transistor radio's speaker and record songs onto tape. I could also play the guitar and sing and record every second of it. I could even hide and record conversations from unsuspecting family members. I was in recording heaven!
Years later I owned an 8 track stereo recording deck (ok, that was a mistake). At another point in time I had a stereo cassette recording deck that would physically flip the tape over when one side was finished recording or playing. Now I own a more conventional stereo dual cassette deck, but I no longer use it for recording or much of anything else for that matter.
All my recording is now done on my computer. The audio and midi software available today for computer recording is quite amazing. You can record multiple tracks, edit the recordings and add special effects as desired. Many of the audio recording programs come with their own native special effects such as reverb, compression, flanger, and chorus, to name a few. Some of the recording software can also accept third party effects such as vocal removers, tube amp effects and many more.
Multitrack recording software allows for recording various live instruments, vocals, etc, onto individual tracks. After recording one track, you can play it back while recording another. Once finished, you can mix all the individual tracks down into one stereo track. Some recording software will import and record both audio and MIDI, some audio only. If you have a MIDI keyboard or other MIDI instrument, be sure to pick software that handles both formats.
Creating a simple home audio recording studio is easy. In addition to software, an audio and/or midi interface will allow you to plug all kinds of audio components, microphones and instruments into your computer for live recording, recording from tape or even from your old vinyl lp's. You can also use a home stereo system as an interface for audio components by running cables to it from your computer's sound card. A laptop with recording software and a USB interface can serve as a totally portable recording studio. And again, if you have MIDI instruments, be sure to get an interface that will allow connecting them in additon to audio components and instruments.
The digital revolution has made music recording easily available to anyone with a computer. If you enjoy music and want to do more than just download mp3's from the Internet, get some multitrack recording software and start your own home sound studio.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

What's So Good About Home Audio Visual Systems

Everyone would love to have a dedicated room in the house especially designed for recreational and entertainment purposes, however not many people even dare to dream about purchasing an audio-video system because these devices are considered not only very expensive, but also hard to connect together. In addition, there is also the misconception that you will make a large investment in a home theater system that you can only watch TV on or listen to your favorite music. However, nothing can be further from the truth, as these systems can provide a lot of fun for all the members of the family, regardless of age or gender.
For example, if you are enjoying a fine Sunday afternoon and your friends decide to come over and you did not finish watching a movie, you can prepare some snacks and continue watching that movie in the kitchen, if you have an audio video distribution system. At the same time, you can make a fine recording of your family or one of your members playing the piano for instance and send the perfect gift to an aunt or uncle that you did not see for a long time. As you may notice, the audio video systems allow you to do a lot of activities with the members of your family and friends, even though it is recommended that an adult is the one responsible with making the necessary adjustments to the devices.
Another advantage of the audio video systems, mostly on the professional devices, is the flexibility they provide. Most of the speakers, subwoofer, cables and the TV have handles or wheels on the table support, that allow you to easily move them around the room for the moments when you want to rearrange their position or clean up the place. In addition, the professional home audio video systems are usually more resilient and provide an extended warranty that can prove to be very useful in case of accidents.
However, one of the most appreciated benefits of an audio video system is the possibility to choose to watch what you want and exactly when you want it. Moreover, if you invest in a whole house audio video distribution system, you will no longer have any fights in the family regarding a certain TV channel. Every member will be able to watch their favorite programs in any room they want without disturbing the others

Monday, September 22, 2014

Great Ways to Enjoy Your Home Audio Wireless Speaker System

Watching HD movies and TV programs will give you the best experience if you have high quality speakers hooked up. But, that's not all. You could even use these speakers to play out your favorite songs. Think about it, with the surround setup of your speakers, it would be a great treat. Shop around and you will discover in the market there are varieties of home speakers that are available. The conventional ones are the wired speakers. Now, if you are a trend setter, you might want to take a closer look at the Home Audio Wireless Speaker package.

Personally, I will use the following two ways to take full advantage of my Home Audio Wireless Speaker system. Read the first one, which is the conventional way. But, don't forget to check out the second one, my creative usage of the wireless technology.
Hook up to your home theater system:

With the launching of new flat screen TV every now and then, and coupling with the price competition among the different brands, owning a flat screen TV would naturally be on top of most households shopping list.
For me, I hook up my flat screen HDTV with my wireless surround sound speakers system to create the cinematic feel in my living room. Big brands such as Samsung and Philips are already offering home theater systems that take full advantage of the wireless surround sound to reproduce the cinematic atmosphere that movie goers would craze for. When it comes to superb sound quality reproduction, I give my two thumbs up to Dolby digital surround system. This is on the top of my "features" checklist.
Other big boys are not losing out to Samsung and Philips. Many manufacturers are also incorporating the wireless technology into their entertainment appliances like TVs and DVDs.

The main plus point with wireless speakers system is that there will be minimum usage of wires. It is easy to hook them up to your home theater or audio system through signal transmitter.
Hook up to your gadgets

Do you know that you can connect your mobile phone to the wireless speakers? This is what I called my personal "blow-up portable headphone". I love it this way because I can move freely without the wires hanging below my chin.

PC speakers development are not far behind the audio big boys. The PC speakers have their own wireless version too. Some are of pretty good audio quality for casual songs playback and as well as for gaming.
Home Audio Wireless Speaker systems are not without its fair share of drawbacks. The primary cause surrounds on the use of radio frequency to deliver sound. Critics claimed that this produced poorer quality sound reproduction in comparison to wired speakers.

To me, the bottom-line in making your shopping decision, is very much depends on your needs and budget. Read out on as many reviews as your time permit and then ask yourself this question- With my current budget, how best can I satisfy my needs?

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Home Theater System Setup Guidelines

Nowadays, most people have audio visual system at home. It is extremely popular not only for music lovers but also for the movie fanatics as well. This technology is considered to be a big competition to cinemas as people tends to stay at home watching movies instead of watching in cinemas. A good knowledge of home theater setup is important in order to get the best viewing and listening experience possible for home relaxation and home entertainment.
There are many factors in setting up a home theater system. One of these factors is taking into consideration the shape and size of the room where you are placing the home theater system. The system must match the size of the room in order to get the best possible surround sound and life like performance. Small room should use lesser power speakers and lesser number of speakers compared to a much bigger room. A home-theater-in-a-box may be enough for small rooms. This consists of a 5.1 sub-sat system. If you have a bigger room, this home-theater-in-a-box setup may not be adequate. You may consider using bookshelf speakers or even some floor standing designs. In addition, you can gear towards 7.1 home theater systems. Some people start with small systems consisting of 2 front speakers first. Then, they add some speakers in a later time. This is possible if you are in a limited budget, however, make sure that all speakers compliment and match each other in acoustics and sound quality. You cannot get a realistic surround sound if your speakers are imbalance, with different sound quality and frequency response.
Aside from size of the room, you also need to consider the room acoustics. The walls should absorb the sound coming from your speakers instead of bouncing it. You can choose a soft wall materials as well as addition of thick curtains. Carpeting of floor is also a good solution in avoiding room echo.
Other components of a home entertainment system are DVD players or Blu-ray players, home theater receivers and the visuals, such as TV or Projector. Some are including the gaming consoles in the setup of their home entertainment room. The selection of the components will vary depending on your requirements as well as how much you are willing to invest for such package. Aside from the main components, another important factors in home theater system are the accessories, such as speaker cables and audio-visual cables. These cables largely affect the system performance. If you have a high-end system, it is a good practice to use a high-end cables as well to get the most out of your system.
Do not forget that you also need to consider the type of furniture for your entertainment room as this will also affect your relaxation and viewing pleasure. This may include the TV stand and component desk and speaker stands, couch and home theater seats. Lastly, seating position relative to visuals and speakers should also be designed properly to get the best possible viewing and listening experience from your home entertainment system.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Give Home Electronics the Audio Edge

The market for home electronics is booming, with hobbyists and electronics enthusiasts letting their imaginations run wild and creating new gadgets and prototypes by the dozen. Whether they are interested amateurs wanting to learn more about electronics, or engineers prototyping their new designs for commercial applications, these creative minds are using the most up-to-date components.
In the last few years, a number of online suppliers have made it their business to source the most sophisticated components and starter kits to get electronics enthusiasts going. These components, plus the passion of hobbyists, are the magic ingredients that can unleash a wealth of new ideas, from robotics to e-textiles.
As well as the circuit boards, relay switches and microcontrollers that form the hub of most new designs, these online suppliers also provide a wealth of accessories that support the creation of some fascinating creations. Take, for example, an audio amplifier kit, which adds superior sound capability to any new design.
Look online for an audio amplifier kit and it is easy to find some excellent technology. The STA540 audio amplifier kit, which is widely available, is a stereo amplifier that offers fully functional, two-channel audio amplification, and includes a standby switch, volume control and indicator LEDs. The kit also comes with a 6400BG heatsink to dissipate any potentially damaging heat from the circuits.
When the kit arrives it is completely disassembled, so you would need to solder everything to the PCB, so there is a lot of work to do, but therein lies all the fun. Assembling the kits is the best way to learn about how all of the components function, how they interact, and how they work together to deliver. The joy of these kits is as much in the work it takes to put them together as it is in the final creation.
One of the best things about buying these kinds of kit from knowledgeable online suppliers is that the websites are often run by professional electronics engineers, who are also home electronics enthusiasts themselves. They understand the components they supply, and they ensure that they only supply the best quality kits and parts.
The biggest benefit of this is that they are not only there to sell you products, but also to help you to choose the right components, and to advise you after you have bought a kit on how best to use it. Often they are open to answering questions about what to buy or how to use a particular piece of kit.
Knowing that this kind of support is there is one of the most reassuring things that you can have as an electronics enthusiast, especially if you are prototyping something new and want to get it right first time.
So, for anyone looking for audio amplifier kits or any other home electronics component, there is not only a wealth of gadgetry available, but a lot of advice, too.
If you have a design in mind that needs a reliable and high-quality audio amplifier, it is easy to find the right parts. Something like the STA540 audio amplifier kit is a good starting point for anyone wanting to learn about audio electronics, but always remember to shop around for the best deal and ask the help of experts when you are choosing what to buy.

Monday, September 15, 2014

Simple Audio Secrets - Setting Up Your Home Audio Production Studio

Audio education production is a phrase that can be looked at in two ways. Let me explain what I mean:
  1. Audio education production can be a way of describing how to implement audio in the production of education video.
  2. Audio education production can be a way of producing videos that focus on the education methodology that focuses on techniques that are best for people who learn through listening.
There are different ways of learning including visual, verbal, physical, and aural. Some people learn better and faster with aural teaching. Others learn and retain more when they can use several senses at the same time. What this means is that when you are producing a video, you need to consider both the end-user and how important your audio is to this listener.As for education on how to best use audio in video production, do not overlook the importance of using good equipment and the right words. You would think twice about creating a website to sell your products with cheesy looking graphics. You should be just as careful about educating yourself on the proper methods of getting the best voice over on your video.
What, you ask, do I have to do to gear up for audio education for video production? Here are some guidelines that offer a good starting place.
Some people just do not have the voice for audio production. Tape your own voice and listen to it. While we tend to be critical of our own voice, try to be objective. Do you speak clearly? If you are not sure, ask someone else to listen to it and give you feedback on whether they can understand what you are saying.
If your voice passes the grade, the next step is to use the best microphone you can afford. Even if your voice is perfect, cracks and snaps and burbles will not make the listening experience pleasant.
The voice is okay. The microphone is okay. The next step is to make sure that the message delivered is crisp, clear, and concise. The best voice and the best sound will not compensate for a rambling voice on your video.
If you get the first type of audio education mastered, your videos will be able to deliver the kind of audio needed for the second type of audio education.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Advantages of Home Theater Systems

Have you ever wondered why people prefer to pay just to watch movie at the cinema? The answer is simple. It is simply because the sound system is excellent and the screen is bigger. This is great if you are watching action movies. However, with the advance technology today, home theater system is designed to bring satisfaction to users who want to enjoy watching movie at home. This system will give the amazing experience that you just can't get from a normal television set. It consists of a big screen LCD and a set of speakers.
Here are some of the main advantages of having home theater system at home. First of all, the main important difference of using this system is the sound effects. You can just compare the sound quality with an ordinary television. Using this system, you can actually listen to each and every word clearly including the breathing and sigh sounds. The good thing is the sound projection is 180 degree. You will have left, right and center speakers so that the sounds are spread evenly in your living room. If you can listen clearly, some of the movies has different soundtrack coming from the right speaker and left speaker. This is the sound system effect for most of the action movies.
Another great thing about this home theater system is the screen. You are able to watch your movies clearly and watch in the dark. Using this system, the images are clearer and sharper compared to using normal television. Some people may not feel the need to watch movie at a bigger screen but you will surely feel the difference as you don't have to stress your eyes watching movies at a small screen television.
These are among the great experiences of having a home theater system at home. Now, you don't have to queue for hours and spend extra bucks just to buy your movie ticket. You can always watch movies at home at your own comfort zone and during your leisure time!

Friday, September 5, 2014

How To Stream Audio Through Your Home

A large number of wireless audio transmitter products have emerged over the years. They promise to cut the cord to your audio equipment. We will examine the impact of new technologies on the performance of these products. Also, we'll examine if they keep their promise of eliminating the cable clutter.
The first form of wireless audio transmission was in the form of AM and FM radio stations. While still being popular today, FM radio is now being replaced by new technologies including HD radio, satellite radio and DAB broadcasts. A range of today's wireless consumer products cut the cord such as wireless surround sound kits, baby monitors, wireless microphones and Bluetooth transmitters.
Setting up speakers in another room and distributing music throughout the house are some of the applications of wireless audio. Many homes are not wired for audio. The technologies used today all have pros and cons as we will examine.
FM transmitters are using the most traditional technology in which audio is sent by changing the frequency of a radio-frequency carrier. The technology, which is called frequency modulation (FM), is fairly simple and cost-effecive to build and offers high range. While most of today's 900 MHz products use FM transmission, FM has some major problems.
FM transmissions will pick up static which is noticeable as a background hiss depending on the location of the wireless receiver. The reason for the varying quality is a phenomenon called multipath fading which is a result of reflected radio waves cancelling each other out. Using two antennae is one method some devices cope with this problem (diversity receivers). Another problem is that FM radios easily pick up interference from competing wireless transmitters.
Another technology which has gained popularity recently is called Bluetooth. Bluetooth was originally designed to connect computer peripheral devices wirelessly. Before the signal is broadcast, Bluetooth transmitters will convert the audio into a digital format. One of the advantages is the high robustness against wireless interference. However, Bluetooth was not designed for audio transmissions. Therefore is does have several problems. Bluetooth only offers a range of 30 ft or less and will compress the audio since it does not offer enough space to transmit an uncompressed CD-quality signal. Due to the compression, the audio quality will be degraded compared to the original. Another problem is that Bluetooth will introduce a delay or latency to the signal during the transmission. This delay is a particular problem for video and surround sound applications. In these applications the sound from the wireless speakers would be out of sync with the video and remaining speakers.
The technologies used for satellite radio and terrestrial digital radio offer high range. However, they also use extensive audio compression. Further, a delay of up to several seconds is introduced.
Another technology sends the audio digitally without using audio compression. The signal will retain the original quality by avoiding audio compression. This technology offers an audio latency of less than 1 ms. Therefore these transmitters can be used for wireless speaker kits in a home theater setup and other real-time applications.
To be robust against interference from other wireless devices, this technology uses forward error correction. This mechanism can repair errors during the transmission. Some recent products use the 5.8 GHz frequency band which is less crowded than the 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz bands. The result is high reliability. Other than Bluetooth, this technology can operate and number of receivers per transmitter which is key for sending audio to several locations throughout the house.

Monday, September 1, 2014

5 Tips For Setting Up a Home Audio Recording Studio

When putting together a home audio recording studio, there is no doubt that equipment will play a major factor in the success of the recordings. However, this does not mean you have to pay top dollar for everything you purchase. Most people are going to initially navigate to the well established brand names. And if you have thousands of extra dollars collecting dust, why not? These companies manufacture great equipment. But it is not necessary to limit yourself to these brands. In fact there are countless other companies out there that produce top-notch equipment and at much more reasonable prices. I have made it a point to do my homework before making any purchases. And it has seemed to work well for me. Here are a few tips when it comes to purchasing equipment for your home audio recording studio.
1. Before any recording is done, make sure the recording space sounds good! Test the area with room measurement software. REW Room EQ Wizard is amazing... and free. Adequately treat the problem areas with bass traps and broadband absorbers. There is no point in having quality equipment if the room sounds like crap.
2. Research! This is why God gave us the internet. There are a ton of great recording forums out there that can teach you everything you need to know about equipment. Members of these forums may be able to lead you in the direction of some low-cost gems. Also check out the review sections on music instrument retail sites.
3. Check out equipment shootout videos on the internet. There are plenty of quality videos that compare equipment from different brands. Use your ears. Decide what you like best. It's okay to pay attention to brand names, put don't put too much value on them. There are less well-known companies out there that make excellent equipment. Seek them out. Quality doesn't have to come with a high price tag.
4. Study the fundamentals of setting up a recording studio. Good equipment is of little use if you have no idea how to set it up correctly. Just imagine having several thousand dollars invested in microphones. Now envision an unsatisfactory final project because you neglected to learn the proper placement of these audio-capture devices. Extremely depressing, isn't it?
5. Practice! Learn your equipment just like you would a music instrument. Get accustomed to all the features. Regardless of the quality of the equipment, you have to know how to use it. Being able to get the maximum capability out of your equipment can make all the difference.
These are just a few suggestions to consider when setting up a home recording studio and purchasing equipment.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Working Online From Home As an Audio Transcriber

Working online from home as an audio transcriber has become very popular in recent years due to the internet. A transcribers job is to transcribe an audio tape, CD or file into written words. In this article you will learn what skills that is required and how you can start working from home as an audio transcriber.
When you are working online from home as an audio transcriber you will receive an audio file from the client via the internet. You will then write/transcribe each word you hear into a document and return the transcribed document to the client. There is a wide range of professional fields that are in need of a transcription service, such as medical, corporate and legal, but also authors, students and academics use audio transcribers that are working online from home.
The most important skill that you need is accurate and fast typing skills. Clients usually require you to be able to type 60-70 words pr minute. If you want to test how fast you are, visit typingtest.com to take a free typing test. A common requirement from clients in certain fields is to have knowledge of the terminology used in the profession your clients are in, such as knowledge of medical terminology if you are working for a health care service etc.
You can get started working online from home as an audio transcriber with your own computer with a good word processor such as MS Word installed. You will also need a good foot pedal so that you are able to start and stop the audio files as you are typing. This will speed up your typing a lot.
To find work as a transcriber working online from home, you can post or search for ads at online services such as CraigsList or freelance directories such as Elance and iFreelance.
Working online from home as an audio transcriber requires a few skills, but with a little bit of practice and study, an audio transcription job can make you a nice steady full time income.
If you are looking for other ways to make an income working online from home, please visit

Thursday, August 14, 2014

AV Receiver - Heart Of Your Home Theater

Audio Video Receivers are the heart of any home theater systems. They are basically amplifiers that can amplify sound from various sources. Most AV receivers have multiple amplifiers for best results. They can take input from various sources such as Blue Ray devices, DVD players, gaming consoles such as Ps3, TV boxes etc. They can route the video you want to your TV and process, amplify and send the audio to your speakers.
Difference Between Stereo and AV receivers
Stereos can send sound output to only two channels namely left and right and sometimes to the sub-woofer. Audio video receivers, also known sometimes by the name of 5.1 receiver, can send the audio output to five or more speakers. More advanced receivers can do up to 9 speakers.
The main functions of AV receivers are briefly discussed below:
Decoders They are known to have ability to decode sound i.e. process the sound. For example, a they can receive a 2 channel sound but send it to 5 different channels to produce surround effect.
DSP effect They can also manipulate sound to produce different effects, such as equalization and field simulations such as "concert", "hall" etc.
Video upconvertion This is usually called upconvertion or transcoding. They can convert videos from one format to the other. For example, a AV receiver can convert a 480 pixels video(480 lines per frame) to 720 pixels video(720 lines per frame and also change a component video to s-video. For people with incompatible devices, a AV receiver can be very beneficial.
Amplification Last but not the least, amplification. Audio video receivers amply different channels of sound that can be send to individual speakers. a 5.1 amplifier can send sound to a center speaker, left front and right front speaker, rear left and rear right speakers. All of these channels are amplified individually. High quality receiver offers very less distortion of sound offering as clear sound as possible. Thus while buying a receiver you should always consider its distortion level. Distortion less than.1% are really unnoticeable so try not to buy the ones with distortion level more than 0.1%. Louder the sound needed more amplification is needed, meaning more power is used by the amplifier.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Tips on Selecting Home Audio Equipment

Sure, selection is great but in the world of home audio equipment, sometimes too much of a good thing is bad. The great news here is that if you do your homework it should not be that hard of a decision to make. Make sure that you take a list of prerequisites to what you want in the equipment and set your mind before you go check out the selection. Your package and choice selection in this matter can be greatly narrowed if you know before hand what you want.

The major thing with home audio equipment these days that can weed out a lot of the competition is the need to go digital. Everything seems to be going the way of digital and if you cut back on this all important feature of how you are going to listen with your equipment you could be cutting back on a lot of the choices you have in what you are listening too. More often then not you will see a product made with the digital package of home audio in mind.

Next step to narrowing down your choices is probably the second most important and that would be the overall cost to the system itself. And just as there are a lot of different choices, there are a lot of different prices. Good systems that are worth their money typically will start in the $500 range.

Combing the advice to go digital and buy within a specific price range with listening to it for yourself are the three top specifics when looking for home audio equipment. You have narrowed down your selection and now think of how it will be displayed in your house. Put it up in a way that is similar to your needs and listen for yourself.

Keep in mind that the home auto equipment system will most like have at least 5 speakers and 1 sub-woofer. Display all of those speakers according to where they will need to go in the real environment, pick a CD or DVD and give it a try. You have the tools to get started and purchase if you like what you hear.

Monday, August 11, 2014

My Home Audio Equipment Throughout The Years

When I was younger, even though we didn't have that much money, we still had a nice home audio system. This was the early nineties and CDs still had different quality levels of digital recording. My father played Bach loudly on his home audio equipment, and sometimes he mixed in rock 'n' roll. I didn't like the classical music at first, although today I love it.
Growing up, music was important. By the time I was buying my own CDs, my room was a haven. I had my own bathroom, a big bed, colorful lighting and a stereo with a remote control I used whenever there were commercials on the radio or a song came on I didn't like. It wasn't the best home audio system but it worked for me. Then we moved and my stereo became fuzzy and broken with age. I inherited my father's home audio equipment with its still-powerful Japanese speakers and slick black design.
I listened to music loudly during my teenage years, as do most teenagers, but then the iPod came out. This was a different beast. Music was no longer on discs, it was on computer files. So are you telling me I have to convert all my CDs onto my computer? Fine. Ever since then it has been less about buying albums and more about downloading tracks. I still value and treasure my home audio system, but instead of the individual player and receiver I had when I was in high school, I use my computer as my dock. I've invested in nice speakers still, so I have good home audio speakers, but I no longer listen to the radio. What about music in the future?
I want to be able to plug in an iPod or whatever music device I have to a wall in my home and have my home audio speakers blast it throughout the house, according to which rooms I allow it. Same goes for the car. There will be a music subscription service that plays whatever music you want, while also having access to your personal collection, and you will be able to bump it over your automotive electronics. This may take ten years or so but the future will be glorious when it comes. If there's anything I was taught while growing up, it's that music is powerful. It can make you feel better when you're having a tough time, and there's always something to match what you're doing. That's why it's important to invest in it and reap the benefits for years.