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.

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.

Home Audio Amplifiers - 7 Expert Tips to Improve Your Home Entertainment Sound

How would you like to have a home music system that sounds so fantastic you would think the performers are playing in your home right in front of you? Choosing just the right home audio amplifiers can make a dramatic musical difference in how well your home theater and home music system will sound.
Use these expert home audio tips for selecting your home entertainment and music system components and you'll create an exceptional sounding home audio experience without having to spend a small fortune.
Here's how to get the best value with your home entertainment music system
o Your largest investment after your HDTV should be in your home audio amplifiers, not your speakers
o Specific brands of AV receivers are known for having exceptional music fidelity
o You need a specific minimum power capability to achieve great audio sound
o Why you want a 2 channel stereo music system
o Stereo music and home theater surround sound need completely different power amplifiers
o AV receiver vs separate audio power amplifier components
o What makes up the heart of your home theater and music system sound?
The problem is that you have so many choices and there are so many brands available to choose from that it's very difficult to know where to start. If you shop at your local electronics stores these days, you probably won't find an expert in home audio entertainment who is knowledgeable enough to really help you. Most online forums and review sites are largely too biased.
The biggest difference between a good sounding home music system and having a fantastic sounding home entertainment system is the synergy of your components. Basically, how well all the separate pieces sound together like your speakers; your AV receiver, your home audio amplifiers, DVD/ blu-ray players, game consoles, ipod, DAC and so forth.
The heart of your entire music entertainment system will be the home audio amplifiers that you are using. Home audio amplifiers are like the engine of your car. They are a major factor in the musical synergy that you will hear throughout your home entertainment system. Your second biggest investment after your HDTV should be in your home audio amplifiers, not your speakers.
Select your audio amplifiers based on what you are most interested in for your home entertainment. Do you primarily want to listen to stereo music (2 channels) or do you want your music system to be part of your home theater movie system 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound system?
In general, the most realistic live performance music sound that you can experience in your home will be listening through amplifiers which are 2 channels stereo only.
If you want the best value in stereo music choose a stereo integrated amplifier with a power per channel of at least 75 watts to 150 watts into 8 ohms. If your budget is higher, you will hear the best stereo music using a separate stereo power amplifier or individual mono power amplifiers and a matching stereo preamplifier together. Home audio amplifiers with at least 250 watts per channel will give you the best deep bass and overall warmth and sound stage depth and width from your music listening.
If your main interest is enjoying a home theater surround sound movie experience or playing video games and not just listening to music, you will need a home audio system with 5.1 or 7.1 multi-channel capabilities to experience fantastic sound in your home.
You will find the best values in home theater amplifiers by choosing a multi-channel AV (audio/video) receiver. You have many choices in selecting an AV receiver. They all have about the same features today but only a few have the higher level of hi fidelity sound that will create musical synergy for you. Choose an AV receiver that has at least 120 watts per channel for all channels. Marantz makes some of the best sounding AV receivers that you can buy and Marantz quality is first class.
When budget is not a concern, you will hear the most incredible sounding home theater systems using separate muti-channel high power home audio amplifiers with a matching audio video processor/preamp. You'll want to consider multi-channel home audio amplifiers with at least 150 watts to 350 watts per channel. Some of the top brands in this category are from: Marantz, Krell, Paragon, Lexicon and Mcintosh to name a few. For a significant step up from an AV receiver, separates like the Marantz AV8003 and MM8003 are both affordable and have outstanding musical sound quality making an excellent value for a first class home theater and home audio system.
Just remember, when putting together your home theater entertainment system or home audio music system, the heart of your sound system will come from the quality of the home audio amplifiers that you are using.

Gary L. Goldsmith is a life long music audiophile with an extensive background of more than 40 years experience in electronics including state of the art digital and analog audio and video home entertainment systems. He consults, designs and installs home entertainment and music systems as a hobby.

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.

Setting Up Your Home Theater System Up in an Apartment Or Condominium to Stop Neighbors Complaints

Having lived in an apartment or condominium most of my life, I can say the worst thing is neighbors complaining about the noise coming from your home theater or stereo system. For the purpose of this article, the term "Apartment" will also include condominiums and "home theater system" will also include stereo system for playing CDs. Here are some tips I've learned through the years to minimize sound escaping your apartment causing the neighbors to complain.
Before I go on, unless you have a huge amount of money, there basically is no such thing as sound proofing a room in an apartment. Yes, it can be done but the cost is going to be off the roof. The advice I'm going to give will be to try to minimize the amount of complaints with your neighbors. Some easy common sense advice before we get started. I would introduce yourself to anyone who lives right above you or below you or shares a common wall with you, give them your phone number and just tell them in a friendly way, if they ever have a problem with your sound system, just to give you a call. This way at least you might be able to internally mitigate the problem before it escalates to a higher level. I would try not to play loud music/movies before 11:00 AM and after 8:00 PM, even if your buildings policy is 10:00 AM and 10:00 PM, and listen to wireless 5.1 headphones like Pioneer SE-DIR800C Dolby Digital 5.1 Wireless Headphones during the other times.
The main problem you're going to have with your neighbors is your subwoofer. The easiest solution is to be in an apartment on the first floor as that at least gets rid of people below you complaining. Failing that or even with that, I would buy both an Auralex Gramma Isolation Riser and Mason Super "W" rubber pads. The Gramma Isolation Riser is basically a platform to put your subwoofer on that somehow provides acoustic isolation and improves the subwoofer's tone without making it sound artificial. In short, it helps get rid of any boom from the subwoofer that you don't want. Mason Super "W" rubber pads are a mat of square rubber 2" modules 3/4 inch high separated by thick web that you can use the entire mat and/or cut modules off to put your subwoofer on. The way I have my subwoofer set up is the subwoofer is on top of the Gramma Isolation Riser which is above the Mason Super "W" Mat which is above my carpet floor. I have the Subwoofer back about 14 - 16" from the back wall and the subwoofer's side also about 14-16" from the side wall. I have the subwoofer set up on the Isolation Riser so that its grill is directly above the edge of the riser. The width of the subwoofer is centered on the Isolation Riser. I've included a photo in one of my websites listed below.
I also recommend if you live in an apartment to try satellite speakers and a powerful receiver. I have an excellent Orb Audio Mod 1 5.1 Speaker and Subwoofer set up that I love that seems to play loud volumes without being ear shattering. I've found that the more powerful your receiver is, the softer you can set the actual volume and it will sound as loud to you but not carry out louder in the room.
In regards to speakers, my advice to you is not to have them attached to or right next to a wall, but a couple of inches away and as far from the ceiling and floor can be, anywhere from around 28" to 56" or so off the floor, from the bottom of the speaker. I also wouldn't put them by corner walls. You might also want to experiment and put them over cut Mason "W" square modules.
Lastly, just use some common sense. Keep your windows closed when you play your home theater system. The best hours to play stuff really loud is during the week between 11 AM and 5:00 PM, when people are at work and 12:00 - 5:00 PM on weekends. When playing DVDs be aware that movies with gunfire and explosions tend to play louder then Woody Allen movies and set your volume accordingly! Good luck. You'll still probably get complaints but the amount should be cut down quite a bit!

Basics of the in-Home Audio Studio

With the latest advances in technology and software applications used by the music industry it is now possible to install a well thought out in-home studio without too much difficulty. In general to install a music studio at home there are several basic items that are required, which include a sufficiently sized and sound proof room, a laptop with enough specification, audio software, microphones, and speakers.
A significant aspect to setting up an in-home recording studio is the actual room that the equipment will be placed in. It is necessary to have a room that is either sound proofed (if possible) or more often quiet enough to make sure that outside interference isn't able to degrade the quality of the recordings. A quality microphone used for musical recordings is often highly sensitive and it is essential to avoid any room that is likely to attract external sounds.
An initial step in having an at-home studio created is to acquire the necessary hardware and software. If this is a first attempt at installing a home studio it often benefits to acquire the more basic machinery, which can be upgraded at the later point once you are more accustomed to how it operates.
In relation to the laptop it often benefits to buy one with a high specification in relation to running fast, offering a large capacity hard disk and a high RAM amount. It is necessary for the laptop to be able to run fast. Music recording software often consumes a great deal of the computer's capacity to run at a full speed, which is necessary to control the mixer, give the beats, and integrate the recorded sounds.
It is often the case that the latest series of music recording software applications are highly versatile in recording a range of beats, which can range from recording classical musical to hip-hop. In order to fully appreciate the benefits of the music software it often benefits to put in the necessary time to patiently learn its features and how most effectively they can be used to create the sound and beats that are desired.
It can also help to have a quality external speaker system which will make it easier to determine the quality of the home music production. A set of dedicated musical speakers or a high-quality computer monitor is often enough for this need. It might be possible to use a computer's standard internal speakers, but if possible it helps to upgrade to a full set of external speaker for a better quality sound performance.

Cheap Home Audio - Shelf Systems, Table Top Radios, Boomboxes

Home audio could reference anything that is designed to allow you to play audio inside the comfort of your own home. This includes the radio, CDs, MP3 songs from your MP3 player, songs from your iPod and more. Lets take a look at some of the best home audio systems you can buy.
Home Stereo Shelf Systems: Take a receiver, subwoofer, front and rear speakers and a CD player and pack it into one, sophisticated audio system designed to sit on your shelf or an audio stand. Some can have as much as 500-700 watts or more of total power. If you like your music loud and full of lows, mids and highs, these systems are definitely for you. Listen to the radio or your favorite CD. Have an MP3 player or iPod stuffed with 1000's of songs? Perfect! Directly connect your MP3 player or iPod to the system via the iPod connection or 3.5mm input for MP3 players and you're all set. You'll have a never ending, full of sound, stereo shelf system in your home for many years to come.
Boombox: Although a boombox is designed to be portable, it can also work similar to the systems talked about above. They most likely will not "pump out" the incredible, loud sound, but because you can rest it on your home shelf or take it on a camping trip, the versatility makes them worth it. These can play standard CDs or MP3 CDs with songs burned from your computer on a recordable disc, and of course a radio tuner is included. You're looking at several D size batteries for their power supply, so it's a good idea to buy rechargeable batteries and a charger.
Table Top Radios: These are similar to a shelf system as well, just more compact and take up less space. These could easily be placed in your kitchen, bathroom, bedroom or any other room in your home where you would like to have access to music. These also play CDs that allow for CD/CD-R/RW/MP3/WMA playback. Some table top radios also have the necessary inputs for MP3 players and iPods and come equipped with built-in 3 to 4 inch, high-performance, full-range speakers. Listening to them play your tunes is a delight.
Complete Home Audio Systems: This is where you buy components separately and can achieve "rock star" sound. It all starts with a receiver that can deliver 100 watts or more per channel. How many channels you need depends on how many speakers you want. You can choose a 5.1 or 7.1 home stereo receiver and add a separate CD player and radio tuner, even a cassette player. When it comes to speakers, you can add separate, front tower speakers and rear speakers that can even be mounted in walls or ceilings, surround sound speakers and a powered subwoofer to handle all of the bass. You can really go as extreme as you'd like. If you want an incredible home audio system, spending more cash and buying components separately is the way to go.