Audio News

You are viewing the archives of speaker.

Polka Audio, one of the specialised companies involved in manufacturing speakers and HiFi equipment, has come up with yet another Quality Speaker at unbelievable prices, namely, the Polka RTi A1 Loudspeaker. It comes in the category of bookshelf speakers. They are magnetically shielded and the company has used real wood to give the speakers a rich and expensive look.

It is truly more than a treat to real music lovers. A lot of effort has gone into its manufacture. Attention to detail, in order to produce magical music, has been the key focus of the company in producing these speakers. Of course the more compact bookshelf speakers, are not quite as powerful as, say, the heavy duty Polk Audio LSi 15 floor speakers, but still nonetheless offer a solid performance. Polka has used its Dynamic Balance technology in dome tweeter and woofers to control the resonance of its speakers. Furthermore, Polka uses the Acoustic Resonance Control technology to give a balanced resonance in the system. It has also used its Power Port technology to control port noise and distortion.

The shape of the cabinets is like a curve and its back is shaped out. This not only gives the Loudspeaker an elegant look but also gives a special sonic effect. The grilles are designed in such a way that it increases control over the direction and intensity of the music; which produces real and natural music with a balanced tone. Even at high frequencies, the music is soothing and the sound rich and natural. The Polka RTiA1 loudspeaker gives refreshing and lively music whether jazz, classical, rock or a band performance. Listen to any instrumental music, like a guitar, piano, banjo or drums, and you will get the same natural and rhythmic music.

The Polka loudspeaker gives an integrated musical performance for all kinds of instruments with all the finer audio intricacies in a very tasteful manner. One would always like to listen to different kinds of music over and over again with the Polka RTi Loudspeaker. Fortunately, the speakers affordable price makes them very accessible.

An amplifier is an electronic device which is designed to increase the amplitude or strength of a signal fed into it. The signal is usually voltage or current. We have amplifiers all around us, be it in televisions, such as the Samsung 40A656A, CD players, computers, or any other system that uses a speaker to produce sound.

Sound is an amazing phenomenon. Whenever something moves in the atmosphere, it starts vibrating the particles around it, which in turn vibrate the particles around them; thus carrying the pulse of the vibration through the air. Our ears are able to sense these fluctuations in the air pressure and translate them into some electrical signals to be processed by the brain.

The electronic sound equipment, therefore works on the same basic concept. Here the sound waves are the same as air particles which move the microphone diaphragm to and fro. The microphone then converts these movements into some electrical signals which are further encoded by the recorder. Finally a player would re-interpret this obtained pattern into an electrical signal which moves the speaker cone back and forth, and recreates the air pressure fluctuations originally recorded by the microphone.

The microphone diaphragm should be extremely sensitive to record only the minutest of fluctuations in the sound wave. This means that it moves only a short distance. Therefore small electrical currents are produced. It works well in most of the stages, but the last stage, where the speaker cone has to be pushed back and forth, is the most difficult part. In order to achieve this, the audio signals have to be boosted up so that they can produce large currents. This is where the amplifier’s function comes into play. In conclusion, an amplifier’s basic function is to amplify the sound signals.

The HT6900DP is a truly robust home cinema system to come from Sony. It will give you everything you ever wanted and need, in terms of acoustics, to transform your house into a personal cinema with surround sound effects. This Sony HT6900DP home cinema in a box features a STR-K6800P receiver, 1000 watts of power, 6.1 channels of Dolby Digital sound, a 5-disc DVD player/changer, six speakers, a 10 inch subwoofer, 3 surround satellites and 2 front satellites; in short, massive power.

The five-disc DVD/CD player is compatible with a variety of disc and file formats, such as DVD, CD, MP3 files and JPEG image files. This DVD/CD player comes with Sony’s Precision Cinema Progressive Technology to ensure a sharp and crisp picture quality during the playback. It is also primarily the included DVD changer that separates the HT6900DP from other similar home cinemas like the Sony HT-1300. The Dolby digital sound system delivers dramatic, clear, true and perfect surround sound for your home cinema system.

The HT6900DP home cinema system features a sleek centre speaker, six satellite speakers, a 10” 160watt subwoofer, a 5-disc DVD changer and a receiver. To obtain a perfect blend, Sony’s speakers are specially designed using crossovers and matching blending designs. The system looks great too with a wooden finish on its twin drive centre and two way front speakers. This system also features one coaxial digital audio input, two optical digital audio inputs, five discrete analogue inputs and one composite video input for a signal from a SCAD player or a DVD audio.

The Sony HT6900DP is an affordable and stylish way to experience any of the 6.1 channel surround sound formats.

Low noise amplifiers, most commonly known as LNAs, make up the basic building block of the communication and are specially designed for amplifying weak signals captured by the antenna to the acceptable levels while minimizing the noise. These amplifiers have to be placed very close to the antennas to make the losses in the feedline less critical.

The LNA reduces the noise of all the consecutive levels and finally injects the absolute noise of the LNA directly into the received signal. Therefore, it is quite essential for a Low Noise Amplifier to enhance the desired power of the signal, while adding as little noise and distortion as possible. That way the signal can be retrieved easily in the later stages in the system.

The LNA should deliver as a high amplification as possible at the initial stage, so as to have less distortions and noise later. HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor) and JFET (Junction Field Effect Transistor) help in providing a solution to this problem. These amplifiers are often located in radios, such as the Sony XDRS10DAB, at the front end of the radio receiver circuit. These amplifiers are also usually operated with a high current, which is definitely not energy efficient, but helps in reducing the relative amount of shot noise. Matching circuits for the input and output are used so as to increase the gains. The use of resistors is avoided or at least restricted, as they only help in adding up the unwanted noises.

We all know that noise signals are typically low level signals and virtually unavoidable in any measurement system. Therefore we require preamplifiers like the LNA, which have sufficient sensitivity to measure these noise signals and offer premium performance.

In today’s hi-tech world one really gets overwhelmed with the wide variety of sound cards available in the market. The most important point to consider before buying any sound card is to consider its intended usage. If you just need a regular sound, then either go for a simple cheap model or rely on the motherboard’s on-board sound. If you really require fantastic surround sound or better speaker connectivity, then you will probably need a dedicated sound card.

A sound card’s cost can vary from anywhere around £5 to £125, depending on the features. One should then analyse which type of sound card fits in your allocated budget and what features it offers in terms of surround sound etc. Some sound cards, such as the Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro, are even capable of providing 7.1 surround support. You should also check to see if you have special needs to cater for. If you are into professional music or track recording, then you will need to consider a multi channel sound card.

While selecting any sound card you should always ensure that you have an equally powerful CPU to go with it. There is no point in installing the latest high-end sound card with EAX and 5.1 surround sound into an old Pentium 3 computer. And last but not the least, you should also check on what software comes bundled with the sound card package. This will always save you a lot of money, especially if the sound card package includes that special software that you have always longed for.

To conclude, sound cards are a gateway for experiencing true multimedia. Make sure you do your homework well and consider all your audio needs before narrowing down on any sound card.

If we were to draw up a FAQ on how to set up an audio system, the question at the top of the list would be ‘Where to place the speakers?’ Speaker placement is one of the most critical elements involved in tweaking your audio system, and fortunately, it costs nothing except your precious time. To begin with, the most important factor to be taken into consideration is the size of the room, and everything else will follow.

The full range speakers that stand on the floor should always be kept as far as possible from the back wall. A minimum distance of 2-3 feet should be kept from the back wall in the case of smaller rooms, whereas 5-6 feet is the actual optimal distance from the back wall. Small speakers on stands, such as the satellite speakers on the Sony HT-SF 1300 home cinema system, and mini monitors are the best suited for smaller rooms where the speakers are to be kept in a closer proximity to the back wall. This helps in reinforcing lower frequencies.

The speakers should be placed as far apart as possible, say 5-10 feet considering centre to centre, and at the same time the distance between the outside edge of the speaker and the side wall should be held to approximately 2-3 feet. Always make sure that the distance of each speaker from the back wall and the side walls is around the same; in other words, symmetrical. The tweeters should always be placed at about the same level as that of the ears when seated. Position your chair about 8 feet from both the speakers. It is also very important that the chair be positioned at equal angles from both the speakers.

Excellent results can be achieved by listening at a greater distance. Of course, if the rooms are really small, then you are really left with no choice.

The paragraphs above are just the guide lines, and not hard and solid rules. However, if equidistant spacing and angling is achieved, it can change the overall performance of your system immensely. And remember ‘Don’t be afraid of experimenting’.

Take your passion for hi-fi acoustic beyond all limits. Just break all the barriers that are created by the wires attached to your music machines. Introduce the Motorokr EQ7 in your rhythmic world and feel free to listen to stereo quality sound wherever you want. EQ7 is basically a wireless speaker which was designed to deliver clear, distortion-free hi-fi sounds.

This sound is created using Motorola and JBL sound technology wireless technology. Both of them have been intelligently combined to give a speaker system which not only produces impressive thumps, but also receives the Wi-Fi signals smoothly. Ergonomically, this speaker is great. It is very easy to setup, install and use. You can take it with you anywhere you want without any hassles. This device can produce rich bass and has a smooth response. One of EQ7’s strengths is that it can be used with a variety of devices including MP3 players, Portable Media Players, Digital Media Players, desktops, laptops and even with mobile phones which support Stereo Bluetooth (A2DP). It has also got a 3.5 mm standard audio jack so can be connected to speakers via cables too. Below are some more captivating features of the Motorokr EQ7:

• Hi-Fi Bluetooth wireless technology

• 4 aluminum-dome Odyssey transducers

• Built-in microphone with noise reduction and echo cancellation

• Easy to operate

German Physiks, a company well known for its world class acoustic products, presents the LORELEY MK III, a luxury loud speaker which will make you hold your breath as soon as you watch its elegant design and mesmerizing beauty.

This loudspeaker can produce a massive amount of distortion free sound. Each piece has two gigantic independent bass enclosures which can produce floor shaking thumps. With a maximum output level of 120dB, most competitors, even high-end speakers like the AE Aelite 3, do not even come close. Each enclosure is fitted using the 12 inch inverted dome driver, making it the perfect piece to install in earthquake prone regions. You will hard-pressed to pinpoint a slight distortion in sound, even when playing the LORELEY MK III at high volume.

The issues regarding the power compression (which is generally caused by the heating of voice coil) are also eliminated by deploying ultra wide underhung voice coil and triple magnet structure. Apart from this, just like all the German Physiks audio monsters, this one is also powered by a DDD driver at the core level. The DDD driver makes this device achieve the extreme levels of fidelity and the great quality sound is dispersed in multiple directions so that you experience the same level of quality and precision irrespective of your position in the room. The only limitation of this music maniac machine is that it is targeted towards the very high income group music lovers, and accordingly comes with a rather steep price tag.

Speakers are moving in two directions. Either they are getting larger, with more bass, more wattage, and more satellite speakers, or they are becoming more compact; and in some cases even portable. Indeed, many portable speakers have hit the market lately, exchanging size and power for numerous advantages; including, a lack of wires, lighter weight, and the ability to bring high quality sound anywhere. The company Motorola, typically known for manufacturing mobile phones, is also very active in the accessory market, and has recently introduced two portable Bluetooth speakers intended for playing music and listening to calls: the MOTOROKR EQ7 and EQ5.

The MOTOROKR EQ7 and EQ5 are far more than simply a speaker for taking calls from one’s mobile phone, as the speakers actually come with enough performance and power for high quality, portable, musical enjoyment. Moreover, both devices use a standard 3.5 mm audio jack, so they are not restricted to exclusive use with the Motorola MOTOROKR E8 or any other Motorola mobile. The built-in Bluetooth wireless technology ensures you can keep everything as hassle-free as possible, while still enjoying clear sound. With any portable device battery life is always a serious question, but both speakers offer a running time of up to 6 hours on one charge; easily keeping up with any media player.

As already mentioned, when it comes to acoustic performance neither device holds back, although the EQ5 is the ultimate HiFi performer. The latter speaker makes use of SRS WOW HD technology for crisp high-definition, surround sound; easily offering an acoustic output comparable to many standard speaker systems. Anyone who has become addicted to the freedom of spontaneous and mobile stereo sound, will do will to check out these two wireless accessories from Motorola.

Logitech, apart from making peripheral devices for the PC, also deals in various audio devices such as speakers, MP3 players and mobile phones. This time the company has released an innovative and cool speaker, the ‘AudioHub’. It is an integrated 2.1 speaker which is brilliantly designed. The speaker is shaped in a horizontal parallelogram with a triangular rib at the centre which also is a chamber for the unit’s circuitry. The subwoofer driver slightly positioned at the back of the centre while the 2 inch tweeters are stationed at the two extremities.

The power input with an adapter is on the left of the back panel and a USB hub with 3 USB ports is on the right. For the Logitech AudioHub to work it has to be connected to a PC and then it needs power because it does not have any batteries. The power output is 15 Watts RMS. The channel on the bottom of the unit can be used as a cable organizer. The right and left speaker arms can be extended. It also has a webcam extension apparatus.

The body of the speaker is done with smooth black finish and cloth grills on the sides for the tweeter grills. The operating switch looks great with a round translucent body that lights up orange when on. This black coloured single piece of equipment is great for the multimedia and PC buffs.