sound amplifier

sound amplifier

There are three types of sound reinforcement speakers: professional, home and portable. A professional sound amplifier is used, for example, in recording studios and is designed to solve specialized tasks. Therefore, it makes no sense to use such a sound amplifier at home. Portable sound amplifier systems, with all their desire, do not provide high sound quality, but they allow you to listen to music anywhere. Acoustics for the home is an intermediate option, in which music lovers and fans of watching movies with good sound will find suitable equipment for themselves.

In this article, we will analyze the main parameters that affect the choice of a sound amplifier for the home.

Loudspeaker location

Choosing a sound reinforcement system for your home starts with how the speakers will be placed. According to the location in the space, sound reinforcement systems are divided into the following types: floor, rack, wall and built-in.

Rack amplifiers, contrary to their name, are installed on special racks. If these speakers are placed on a table or regular shelf, the speakers will resonate with the surface, making the sound much worse. Depending on the arrangement, shelving systems do not allow saving space in the apartment, although they are suitable for small rooms. The bookshelf sound amplifier is perfect for rooms with an area of ​​about 20 m².

There is an opinion that a bookshelf amplifier does not provide as high-quality bass as a floor amplifier. However, this is a myth. The sound of the bass depends on the amplifier and the location of the acoustics in the room, not the format of the amplifier. In a small room, a good bookshelf speaker can provide good bass, while a powerful floor system can be too "bassy" - an unpleasant hum can be felt in a small room.

Floor speakers are designed for rooms with an area of ​​20 m², where they can reveal their potential. Floor standing loudspeakers are more powerful and more demanding of the amplifier. A weak amplifier or receiver will simply make the speakers glow.

The difference between a floor standing and a rack mounted amplifier

One of the main differences between the two systems is the form factor. Floorstanding loudspeakers are often large in size, so they can produce better bass. Choosing a bookshelf sound amplifier will be a good solution for a small room - small sound amplifiers are usually more budget-friendly, so why pay for electricity that is not needed in a small area.

Another important difference is sensitivity. A floor amplifier is usually more sensitive than a bookshelf. This means that floorstanding speakers will play louder for the same power output.

In-floor amplifiers may be more suitable for those with small children or pets in the home. This is due to the fact that it is almost impossible to accidentally knock over a loudspeaker standing on the floor, but it is easy to stand on a thin leg. However, pay attention to the manufacturer's recommendations for distance from the wall. A good floorstanding amplifier may require up to a meter of free space for the sound to be truly clear and high quality. If the space or furniture arrangement does not allow for a clear space between the wall and the loudspeaker, it may be worth choosing a ceiling or wall-mounted loudspeaker system.

Do not place the loudspeakers close to the wall. This applies to both floor and rack systems. Too close to the wall will reduce the sound quality. The minimum distance to the wall should be specified in the speaker specification.

Wall-mounted sound amplifiers are useful in small spaces. Their design allows you to mount the speaker directly on the wall without losing sound quality. However, due to the small size of these speakers, you should not expect much power and good bass from them. Often, wall-mounted sound amplifiers are used as part of a home theater in a small room.

Built-in sound amplifiers are mounted on the ceiling or walls. They are often found in bathrooms and toilets, and more often in cafes and restaurants. Because of their design, built-in speaker systems save space, but they generally sound worse than floorstanding or bookshelf systems at the same price.

How to choose sound amplifiers

In order to choose a speaker system for your home and achieve the best sound, you need to correctly connect the speakers and the amplifier. When combined, resistance and force must be taken into account.

• resistance (or impedance). Speakers usually have a resistance of 4 to 8 ohms. This value must match the range specified in the amplifier specification.
• Hello. The columns indicate the power it can handle and the volume it can deliver. Also in the specifications of the speakers you can find the recommended power of the amplifier, for example, from 30 to 130 watts. The power of the speakers and the amplifier should be approximately the same. If the power of the amplifier is significantly higher than the power of the speakers, the speakers may suffer. If the volume amplifier is too weak for the speakers, then in order to achieve a loud sound, you will have to remove the knob as much as possible. Because of this, the amplifier will overheat and produce a fragmented signal and distortion.

Another important parameter when choosing a sound amplifier system is sensitivity. This parameter indicates how loud the speaker sounds at a distance of 1 m with a power supply of 1 W. With different speakers having comparable power, the sound will be louder for the speaker with greater sensitivity. This does not mean that the higher the sensitivity, the better. But high-sensitivity speakers sound nice and loud, even with a not-so-powerful amplifier.

When allocating a budget, you should remember about the compatibility of the speaker system and the sound amplifier. For example, it makes no sense to buy expensive and powerful speakers paired with a budget amplifier or vice versa. Good equipment only emphasizes the shortcomings of low quality.

The loudspeaker system and the sound amplifier must be of the same class. The overall sound depends on the quality of the equipment in the entire chain. Buying good speakers and a budget amplifier simply won't allow the speaker system to reach its full potential.

Loudspeaker use and material

The choice of acoustic system and the number of amplifiers depends on how it will be used.

To watch movies with surround sound effect, you need an audio system with several sound amplifiers and a subwoofer. Loudspeakers should be placed in the front and back, and the subwoofer transmits the low frequencies necessary for special effects. The minimum required acoustic format for watching blockbusters is 5.1. It has five speakers and a subwoofer.

To listen to music in excellent quality, you will need a two-speaker stereo system, as most audio recordings are encoded as a stereo signal.

For listening to music in the background at home or in the office, sound amplifiers on the bookshelf will be enough. It can be active acoustics, which will allow you to do without an amplifier and save space.

The main requirement of a sound amplifier is durability and strength. Most often, sound amplifier cabinets are made of wood, chipboard and plastic.

a tree

It is often considered the best material for sound equipment as well as musical instruments. In fact, unlike, for example, a guitar, the cabinet itself should not sound in the speakers. Therefore, the acoustic wooden case is unlikely to be a strong advantage, but it will significantly affect the cost.

DSP

There is a middle option between wood and plastic. Best value and sound quality.

plastic

You should not be afraid of the location of plastic or glass in the speaker housing. As we have already said, the main requirement of a sound amplifier is strength and lack of vibration. If this is achieved in a plastic case, then there will be no sound problem.

The total power of a sound reinforcement system indicates how loud the speakers sound with the correct volume amplifier. As we have already written, if the amplifier itself is not powerful enough for the speakers, then it will not work to achieve maximum and high-quality sound.

When choosing a speaker system and amplifier, you can be guided by two factors:

• The power of the amplifier should be slightly less than the total power of the speakers.
• The power of the speaker system should match the size of the room: 50 W for rooms up to 20 m², 50-100 W for 20-30 m², more than 100 W for large rooms and outdoors. .