Saturday, March 30, 2013

Bose Multichannel Audio System: Overview of the Bose CineMate Series II Speakers

So many people are searching for an excellent home audio system which has probably the most excellent music-making capabilities. A number of these individuals are searching for a Bose multichannel audio system since the brand is renowned for its excellent equipment. If you are searching for exactly the same factor, then your Bose CineMate Series II Speakers is among the bets models that exist. This review covers all you need to learn about the product.

General Description

This set consists of five products that are required for music-making. The package of the product includes an Acoustimass module, an interface module, two Articulated Array loudspeakers, along with a four-button handheld remote control. These products all constitute an excellent Bose multichannel audio system that produces the highest quality music you will get from the personal home theatre system. Each Articulated Array speaker has got the dimensions 3.3" x 7.8" x 5.1" and weighs in at 2.6 pounds. The primary Acoustimass module measures 14.5" x 8.8" x 19.1" and weighs in at 23.3 pounds. The interface module has got the dimensions 1.1" x 3.3" x 2.2" also it weighs in at just a little under one pound. The machine is made to be fixed - the Acoustimass module on the ground or on the shelf, and also the two loudspeakers installed on the walls. It's perfect for those who have an High definition tv or perhaps a home entertainment system since you can produce excellent audio along with your video products.

All of the products within the system are black and they've a nice sleek finish causing them to be excellent in almost any room and blend with any interior design. The colour also hides age, particularly if it's well-maintained, so that you can easily keep the multichannel audio system searching good despite age and weathering.

Audio

The unit consists of various parts however they all develop a single system that is designed particularly to operate as you, which means you can't remove among the parts and isolate it in the relaxation from the set. The 2 Articulated Array loudspeakers function as the primary loudspeakers that provide because the major seem source. However, the Acoustimass module can serve as the reduced-frequency player which makes bass and percussion emerge within an excellent manner. The handheld remote control can help you navigate and operate the unit more easily which means you will not need to fully stand up or come close to the set to repair it. However, you will find no buttons around the products, and also the handheld remote control may be the only possible way to navigate the unit. So don't lose that remote, and certainly don't break it.

The Proprietary TrueSpace digital processing circuitry, that is a trademark feature of Bose, is made to generate a spacious, multichannel seem knowledge about strong center amplification from just two visible loudspeakers as well as an Acoustimass module. The Acoustimass module works together the little loudspeakers to provide an entire and detailed selection of theater sounds and effects. The patented Bose style of the machine produces low wavelengths for those channels without any audible distortion, reducing the statics from playing music. The compact Articulated Array loudspeakers provide thrilling home entertainment seem without resorting to rear or center funnel loudspeakers, as observed in most multichannel audio system with lower quality.

Additional Features

This technique utilizes a 4-button handheld remote control which allows you to definitely manipulate the unit in a fair distance. The interface module has two Brought indications and fittings for audio input, also it receives infrared instructions in the remote for that speakers. Additionally, it connects straight to your TV while showing the status of the speakers. The simple setup of the system causes it to be much more more suitable than a number of other multichannel audio systems which need a ton of installation and connection all around the house.

Conclusion

I'm able to only state that as in comparison with other multichannel audio systems, a Bose multichannel audio system has a benefit. And this is just what the Bose CineMate Series II Speakers can provide you with if you opt to purchase it. I suggest the product to any or all the people available who wish to make their houses an ideal pad to reside in, using the best audio system as well.

Friday, March 29, 2013

Introducing Vehicle Sound System Design, Stereo system Imaging and Staging

Although many car audio enthusiasts already have a good understanding of how sound is produced, no technical manual should start without covering the basics of its subject matter. Writers sometimes wrongly assume that the reader will already know quite a lot about the subject and so they skip the basics. Because of this, some may find it difficult to understand the reasons for installing speakers in particular positions in the car, for example, or why a woofer operates best in a particular size and type of enclosure. Most people find it embarrassing to admit that they do not understand something which they assume everybody else knows. The truth is that there are probably several other people in the same group who would like to ask the same question.

Here I will outline the basics of the subject and briefly discuss how these basics apply to the world of car audio. It is not supposed to be a complete guide to sound because we don't want to send you to sleep! If you would like to know more about sound and the principles of hi-fi sound reproduction, there are many good books on the subject.

So what is sound?

Sound is caused by the movement of air. If a large wooden panel is vibrating, the air next to it is pushed away. If the vibration is slow then the air just moves out of the way, but as the rate of vibration increases to between a few tens and a few tens of thousands of excursions per second, the air cannot move out of the way fast enough and therefore compresses as the panel pushes it away. The air's natural elasticity comes into play. The particles of air against the panel are pushed against the next particles, which push against the next ones and so on, creating a 'pressure wave'. As the panel returns to its starting position, the air becomes less dense as it fills the void in front of the panel.

The rate at which 'pressure waves' are produced is called the 'frequency' and is measured in 'cycles per second'. Instead of 'cycles per second' we usually describe frequency in terms of Hertz (1 cps = 1 Hz). Imagine a bath full of water. If you put your hand in the water and move it slowly backwards and forwards, not much happens - the water simply slips around the sides of your hand. But if you move your hand very fast, the water doesn't have time to move out of the way and you create a wave in the bath. Soon the water is flowing over the edges of the bath and soaking the carpet. If you used something larger than your hand to move the water, such as a dinner plate, you could cause the water to overflow without moving your hand as fast as before. Air reacts in much the same way. Big objects and small objects can generate pressure waves and therefore sound, but a small object must move quicker to cause the air in front of it (and behind it) to be compressed.

You are probably one step ahead of me by now, but this is why we find tiny tweeters and very large woofers. All sizes of speakers can produce sound, and the reasons why tweeters are small and woofers are big has much to do with the size of the pressure wave they are trying to reproduce and the weight and characteristics of the moving 'panel' - which in the case of a speaker is usually a cone, a dome or occasionally a flat diaphragm. To reproduce high frequencies, the cone or dome needs to move very fast. The smaller and lighter it is, the easier it is for the amplifier to control it. We'll come back to this later. First we need to understand a little more about sound itself.

Pressure Waves

Pressure waves of a sound travel at a fixed speed of around 1100 feet per second (actually, air temperature affects the exact speed but we don't need to worry too much about that). If we know the frequency (the number of waves per second), we can calculate the distance between corresponding points on successive waves - in other words, we can measure the length of a wave, or the 'wavelength'. A sound that has a frequency of 1100Hz has a wavelength of one foot. A sound of 2200Hz will have a wavelength of six inches, and a sound with a frequency of 550Hz will have a wavelength of two feet.

The notes of the musical scale simply represent sounds at certain frequencies. Middle A on a piano is 440Hz for example (a wavelength of 2ft 6in). In the case of a church pipe organ or electronic synthesiser, it may be possible to play an A which is four octaves below middle A. This has a very low main or 'fundamental' frequency (additional frequencies or 'harmonics' will be added naturally, which gives each instrument its own individual tonal character) of 27.5Hz, a wavelength of around 40 feet! At literally the other end of the scale, an A played three octaves above middle A has a frequency of around 3500Hz and a wavelength of just 3.75 inches.

The size of the musical instrument (and loudspeaker) tends to suggest the size of the wavelength it's designed to produce. The soundboard of a piano and the large pipes of a church organ are capable of producing large wavelengths, which means lower frequencies. Similarly, a 12-inch diameter subwoofer is designed to give low bass. If we ignore for a moment the mechanical limitations, there is nothing to stop a good 6 inch mid-woofer from reproducing very low frequencies. It can move at the required cycles per second, but its size means that it can only displace a certain amount of air during each cycle. It may produce very low frequencies, but only at very low output levels. This takes us back to the analogy of the hand and the dinner plate in the bath full of water. The surface area of a 12-inch subwoofer is like a dinner plate, able to move enough air in one cycle to produce a pressure wave capable of rattling the windows in the house across the road!

Imaging and Phase... creating the illusion of reality

When we install a hi-fi system in the home or in the car, we are attempting to reproduce a very complex pattern of sound waves within an environment that is quite different to the one in which the instruments and vocals were recorded. We are trying to recreate not only the sounds of the various instruments and singers accurately but also their positions on the 'sound stage'. This is often called 'imaging' or 'stage image'. It may also be described as 'staging', but in car audio this word is generally used to describe the position of the stage itself (whether it appears to be in front of the listeners or behind them), rather than the position of the performers on the stage.

If we listened to and recorded the sound of a single flute in our living room, for example, and then replayed it via a single full-range speaker positioned in exactly the same place as the flautist, there is a good chance (if the recording equipment and hi-fi system is of a good enough quality) that it will sound more or less identical. The reverberation characteristics of the room will be the same and, since we are using only one speaker instead of trying to artificially recreate the position of the flautist in the room by using stereo techniques, the instrument should appear to be in exactly the right place.

If we had a complete orchestra in our living room and wanted to copy what we did with the single flute, we would need to use a multi-channel recorder, several channels of amplification and however many speakers it took, each arranged in exactly the right place for each instrument. Having witnessed this done at a hi-fi show in Paris some years ago, I can tell you that it can sound very realistic. The problem is that it is not currently feasible to do this in most homes, and certainly not in a car, which is why we have... yep, good old stereo.

Stereo aims to recreate the exact positions of the various instruments by using only a single pair of loudspeakers, and it achieves this mostly by increasing the level of a particular instrument in one of the channels relative to the other channel. Only the levels are different - the wavelengths from both the left and right channels will be identical in every other way. They are said to be 'in phase'. This means that if you could somehow freeze the sound and see the wavelengths emanating from the two speakers, both wavelengths would be at the same point in their cycle.

When sound is recorded for stereo reproduction, it is assumed that the listener will be positioned equidistant between the two loudspeakers. Of course this is rarely the case in a car, unless you happen to drive a McLaren F1. We compensate for not being seated central to the loudspeakers by adjusting the balance control on the CD player, which increases the volume level on one side relative to the other. This only corrects the stereo image up to a point, because we are still physically closer to one speaker than the other, and adjusting the balance control has no effect over the phase and timing of the signal reaching our ears.

If we are sitting in the front of the car, close to the left-side speaker, then we will hear the sound from that speaker very slightly earlier than the sound from the speaker on the right, and from those speakers behind us. It is also likely that in the upper frequencies, where the wavelengths are very short, the sound we hear through our left and right ears may be slightly 'out of phase'. These timing and phase distortions confuse the brain and can destroy the stereo effect. When this happens, you hear most of the sound is coming from the speaker closest to you, instead of from an imaginary stage across the windscreen - the stereo trick fails to work.

Our earlier analogy with water may also help us to understand what is meant by sound being 'in phase' and 'out of phase'. Imagine that you start a gentle wave from one end of the bath. If you use both hands to start two waves at exactly the same time, the peaks of the waves will occur at exactly the same point and the waves could be said to be 'in phase'. Now start a gentle wave from the other end of the bath. What happens when the two waves meet? Both waves clash and effectively cancel each other out. Now imagine speakers at the front and rear of a vehicle, each producing sound pressure waves. These mix and create some very complex alterations to the sound. As the pressure waves meet, the air may be pushed stronger in the same direction in which it was already travelling (so we get additions which can lead to peaks in the frequency response), or one pressure wave may compress against another travelling in the opposite direction. In the latter case, if the two waves are identical in terms of frequency and pressure and are exactly half a wavelength out of phase, they will cancel themselves out completely, leaving silence.

Usually the two sound patterns are so complex that they will only partially cancel, but relatively pure tones of long wavelengths and high pressure are more likely to noticeably cancel. The lower the frequencies being produced and the more loudspeakers there are reproducing that range of frequencies, the more likely it is that phase cancellation will occur. If speakers are wired with the + and - terminals reversed on one speaker, the speakers are placed 180 degrees (half a wavelength) 'out of phase'. In theory they should cancel themselves out, but in practice the bass region suffers most cancellation and the remainder of the sound becomes confused, with little or no central image.

Speaker placement... for those without a McLaren F1

By installing many speakers inside a vehicle, we create a very complex mix of pressure waves which can cause problems with the overall sound. This does not necessarily mean that it is a bad thing to install a large number of speakers. We may want to split the frequency range into small portions - sub-bass, bass, mid-bass, midrange, upper midrange, high frequencies and ultra-high frequencies - so that each range has a pair of speakers dedicated to it. Because of the limitations of loudspeakers, this might be a good idea if we are looking for absolute sonic fidelity. Of course space in a vehicle is limited and so we tend to install fewer speakers, usually covering the sub-bass, mid-bass, midrange and upper frequencies. This can give good reproduction of the tonal qualities of the various instruments and voices but there are still the problems of phase, 'time alignment' and 'off-axis' performance to consider.

We should generally try to avoid reproducing the same frequencies from speakers positioned at different distances from the listeners. For example, if we have a pair of 6-inch speakers producing mid-bass at the front of the vehicle, we should avoid having another pair of speakers reproducing exactly the same range of frequencies from the rear shelf. The colliding pressure waves will cause additions and subtractions, according to the phase of each wave, at the point where they meet. Frequency peaks and troughs could be adjusted with a third-octave equaliser, and the timing of the sound from each speaker could be adjusted using a 'time alignment' digital signal processor, but there is no practical way of compensating for the phase distortions. It is much more sensible to avoid the problems from the start, as much as possible.

When deciding where to position speakers, especially midrange and tweeters, try to install them so that the left and right speakers of each matched pair are equidistant from the listeners. This is often very difficult to achieve of course, but do the best you can. The footwell positions often work well for midrange speakers and sometimes tweeters too. If you decide to mount the tweeters higher, try if possible to mount them in a position which is half the distance to the midrange speaker - there is some evidence to suggest that placing the mids and tweeters exactly 180 degrees apart can improve stereo imaging.

Larger bass speakers can often be installed in the doors without too much affect on imaging, if you make sure that the crossover point is set so that their output does not overlap the frequency range of the midrange speakers too much. The subwoofer, or subwoofers, usually have to be installed in the rear of the vehicle because of their size. Take care when choosing the slope and setting the crossover point on the channel(s) feeding these speakers. With a 6dB per octave 'low-pass' filter (a filter which only passes frequencies below a certain 'crossover point') set to 100Hz, the output at 200Hz will only be 6dB lower, and since subwoofers tend to be driven loud, the pressure waves created in the middle frequency region will probably be strong enough to interact with the speakers at the front of the vehicle. It is generally wise to choose a 12dB or 18dB slope for subwoofers.

Installing full-range speakers in the rear shelf, or in the rear doors, often confuses the stereo image at the front of the car because the same sounds are coming from more than one source and this is unnatural. If you need to install speakers here to provide 'rear ambience' or a 'double front stage' because you often carry passengers in the rear seats, adjust the front/rear fader control on the CD player so that the front speakers are considerably louder than the rear speakers when listening from the driver's seat.

You may still find that the stereo imaging at the front of the car is confused. If this is the case, it is worth experimenting by reversing the +/- connections to all the full-range speakers at the rear, putting them 180 degrees 'out of phase' with those in the front. It may sound crazy but sometimes works well. Always ensure that you reverse the connections on both speakers in a pair.

In an ideal situation, all the sound at all the various frequencies should start out from exactly the same place. A speaker system which attempts to provide this is often described as a 'single point source' because the various drive units are physically aligned so that, in theory at least, the sound will be 'in phase' and 'time aligned' across the entire frequency spectrum. What usually occurs in a vehicle, however, is that speakers are positioned some way apart and at different angles relative to the driver and passengers. A speaker that is pointed directly at the listener is said to be 'on axis', while a speaker installed low down in the door next to the driver is described as being 'off-axis'. A speaker's output characteristics alter when it is listened to 'off axis'. Its frequency response is affected, and phase changes may also occur. It is important to know this and experiment, where possible, by altering the mounting angle of the speaker to achieve the best results.

Shake, Rattle and... Why materials resonate

One thing we want to avoid in a car audio system is any panels (such as the metal panels of the vehicle itself) that resonate, that is, vibrate because of the movement of air within the enclosed space of a car. It's a bad thing because these panels will produce a sound of their own or, in the case of the walls of a bass enclosure, if they're not rigid then we'll lose some of the power and definition from the low frequencies.

Musical instruments which produce sound naturally (not electronically) do so by either causing something to resonate - such as guitar and piano strings or the skins and metallic surfaces of a drum kit etc. - or by directly moving the air, as in the case of wind and brass instruments. Every material has a particular 'resonant frequency' - this is the frequency at which the material will vibrate or resonate most freely - and this, together with the size of the resonating object and many other factors, contributes to the sound which an object will produce if it is sufficiently excited.

Of course something very dense and rigid like a brick is less likely to be made to resonate than a guitar string or a thin piece of wood. Brick is a much less efficient resonator than wood. Sometimes this can be useful, especially when building a bass enclosure where we need the sides to be very rigid and acoustically 'dead' so that it doesn't resonate, since this would add some of its own sonic character (or 'coloration') to the bass sound we are trying to reproduce.

Unfortunately, brick-built bass cabinets in cars haven't really caught on, and more practical alternatives had to be developed for making wooden enclosures and the metal parts of the car less resonant. Good quality particle board (MDF) is especially dense and provides a good starting point, and this can be treated, if necessary, with sound deadening sheet or a spray treatment. In the case of sound deadening sheet, this bonds an acoustically 'dead' material to the more easily excited panel, such as the vehicle's metal inner side panel, door panel or inner boot (trunk). The sheet helps to absorb panel resonance because its own resonant frequency is very low, so the resonance occurs at a much lower frequency and becomes less noticeable. In the case of NoiseKiller, a spray treatment developed by Swedish company Audioform, the resonance absorbed by the material is not simply frequency shifted. Instead, it is transformed into a tiny amount of heat. The manufacturer claims that the material produces absolutely no sound of its own - in other words, the panel resonance is completely eliminated.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

How you can Convert an Optical (Toslink) Cable or Digital Coaxial Cable to Analog Stereo system RCA

Regrettably most contemporary HD TV's don't feature Analog RCA (Stereo system) output to allow link with older Stereo system Systems. Rather most TV's nowadays is only going to provide a S/PDIF (The new sony/Phillips Digital Interconnect Format) digital audio connection appropriate to have an Optical (Toslink) Cable or Digital Coaxial Cable.

However, as great as that new TV is within delivering a crisp Hi-def image regrettably the loudspeakers incorporated in many modern Hi-def TV's commonly are not the highest quality. This raises the most popular question of how do you connect this TV to my older stereo system equipment?

Fortunately, the reply is really fairly simple. You may need a small , very simple to use device which is called an electronic to Analog Audio Ripper tools (DAC). Simply to clarify, this isn't mentioning towards the high quality DAC's that could form a part of an audiophile grade Hi-Fi system. The unit suggested here is actually relatively affordable little. This kind of system is manufactured particularly with regards to transforming an electronic audio signal to analogue (analog) to offer the conversion layed out above.

After you have one of these simple products available, you will have to connect an Optical (Toslink) Cable or Digital Coaxial Cable from output in your TV towards the digital input around the Digital to Analog Audio Ripper tools. Following this step is finished, you will have to connect some Stereo system RCA Cables (Red-colored and Whitened) in the output around the Digital to Analog Audio Ripper tools towards the input of the stereo system system. Quite frequently this input connection is going to be labelled as "Auxiliary" around the shelf type systems.

Next, locate your TV Instructions so that you can identify in which the audio output configurations are utilized from. Then stick to the appropriate steps to achieve this menu in your TV. When the audio output configurations happen to be situated, you will have to alter the digital output to PCM (Pulse Code Modulation). It is really an uncompressed digital audio signal and it is usually needed through the Digital to Analog Audio Ripper tools to do the conversion from digital audio to analogue. You will find several models available that may decode audio formats like Dolby Digital (AC3) and DTS. However, nearly all these models is only going to accept PCM.

When the above steps happen to be completed, you'll have the ability to enjoy greater quality audio out of your TV making use of the loudspeakers out of your stereo system system.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Sony SS-B1000 5-1/4-Inch Bookshelf Speakers (Pair) from Sony

Sony SS-B1000 5-1/4-Inch Bookshelf Speakers (Pair)
List Price : $80.00

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Sony SS-B1000 5-1/4-Inch Bookshelf Speakers (Pair)

Enjoy your favorite music in any room of the house with quality sound from the SS-B1000 performance bookshelf speakers. With 120 watts of power and an advanced woofer and tweeter design, they deliver high-resolution audio so you hear the music just as it was recorded.What’s in the box: Sony SS-B1000 2-Way Bookshelf Speakers, 2 Speaker Wires and 1 Year Limited Warranty.

Feature

  • Newly developed 5.25" H.O.P. cone woofer
  • 1" nano-fine balanced dome tweeter
  • 120-Watt maximum input power
  • 80-50,000Hz frequency responseImpedance: 8 Ohms. 1-year limited warranty
  • This item is Non Returnable.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

The Differing Types of Shelf Loudspeakers

Any audiofile may wish to find great places to setup their house stereo system system. Should you take a look at decibel levels, you will find that for those who have more loudspeakers mounted on a method, you could have the background music attend a lesser volume and equally present anywhere within the room you are establishing. Clearly, if you are likely to convey more loudspeakers mounted on a method, you need to use more compact loudspeakers, making small bookcase loudspeakers ideal.

Exactly what is a bookcase speaker? It is a speaker designed to slot in a little space, just like a shelf, or cabinet, or possibly within table or suspended make up the ceiling, without searching too intrusive.

You will find a number of different models and brands of bookcase loudspeakers. Some popular brands include The new sony, Bose, Insignia, Polk Audio, Yamaha, JBL, Logitech, and you will find plenty others. You may request the web for additional info on any one of individuals or any other.Many of these systems is going to be between as little as 20 w up to 150 w.

You will find a number of speaker arrays of these small speaker boxes. Most frequent is a mix of the right speaker along with a left speaker, each with one bigger woofer, usually around four to five inches across, along with a small tweeter, usually between 1 " and three inches. One other popular speaker arrangement would be to, again, possess a left side along with a right side that contains several small loudspeakers of equal size, for instance, 3 or 4 3-inch loudspeakers on both sides.

Some systems of bookcase loudspeakers may have accessories for any subwoofer, that may be occur another area of the room. These loudspeakers typically their very own adjustable volume and therefore are most frequently wager situated on the area, possibly behind a chair or plant, or something like that that breaks in the visual line.

A pleasant way to setup a pleasant stereo system product is to setup a number of bookcase loudspeakers mounted on one amplifier, on two different channels, to ensure that you could have a choice of some loudspeakers, or another, or both. Also, each group of speaker cones reacts in a different way and sounds different, and you may want to convey more treatments for what wavelengths you are hearing at any time.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Phoenix Gold M25 Old School test system setup





Just playing around with my old M25. It is powered by a Audio Authority 2/77 50A 13.8V power supply and pushing some Boston bookshelf speakers and old school...

Monday, March 18, 2013

Speakers - The Secret to Great Stereo Sound

There are many components to a great sounding audio system but the speakers are the most important because they actually deliver the sound to you. Picking the proper loudspeakers for your needs is imperative to getting the best sound possible out of your audio system.

Different Types Of Speakers

Tower Speakers - Also known as floor standing loudspeakers, these speakers are the most popular type of because they can reproduce a wider range of frequencies than other speakers. They are larger and more expensive than most speakers but they are great if you need speakers for a large room or for stereo music applications.

Bookshelf Speakers - Bookshelf loudspeakers are a great alternative to tower speakers if you are looking to save space. They generally provide excellent performance in a much smaller package. Keep in mind that because of the smaller size, they will not be able to produce the low bass sound that tower loudspeakers can. Adding a subwoofer can help create the deep bass sound that you may be looking for.

Surround Speakers - These speakers are extremely small but can deliver surprising sound quality. They are a great choice for home theater systems and take up very little space as they can be mounted on the wall, ceiling, or a shelf. You will also need a subwoofer with these to get some low end bass sound.

Personal Speakers - These speakers are great for portable applications and can be used on portable radios, cd players, or a dock system for a MP3 player. Most personal loudspeakers are battery operated but can also be plugged into a wall outlet. They are very convenient and also provide surprisingly adequate sound quality for the price.

There are many other types of speakers available but these are the most common. Different sized rooms can play a role in sound quality as well so make sure you do your research on room acoustics!

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Consumer Reports - Speakers

The best array of audio or video components will let you down if matched with poor-quality speakers. Good speakers don’t have to cost a bundle, though it is easy to spend a lot. For a home-theater system, you can start with two or three speakers and add others as need and budget allows. Size is no indication of quality

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

Among the hundreds of speaker brands available, the major names include Altec, Bose, JBL, KLH, Pioneer, Polk Audio, RCA, and Sony, and Yamaha. Speakers are sold through mass merchandisers, audio/video stores, and “boutique” retailers. You can also buy them online, but be prepared for shipping charges of up to 0 because speakers can be fairly heavy.

Speakers are sold as pairs for traditional stereo setups, and singly or in sets of three to six for equipping a home theater. To keep a balanced system, buy left and right speakers in pairs, rather than individually. The center-channel speaker should be matched to the front (or main) speakers. For the best sound, the rear speakers should also have a sound similar to the front speakers. The front speakers supply the stereo effect and carry most of the sound to the listener’s ears. The center (or center-channel) speaker chiefly delivers dialog and is usually placed on top of or beneath the TV in a home-theater setup. Rear speakers, sometimes called surround or satellite speakers, deliver ambient effects such as crowd noise. A subwoofer carries the lowest tones.

Price range: under 0 to over ,000.

Bookshelf speakers. These are among the smallest, but, at 12 to 18 inches tall, many are still too large to fit on a typical bookshelf. A pair of these can serve as the sole speakers in a stereo system or as the front or rear duo in a home-theater setup. One can serve as the center-channel unit, provided it’s magnetically shielded so it won’t interfere with the TV. Small speakers like these have made strides in their ability to handle deep bass without buzzing or distortion. Any bass-handling limitations would be less of a concern in a multi speaker system that uses a subwoofer to reproduce deep bass.

Price range: 0 to more than 0.

Floor-standing speakers. Typically about 3 to 4 feet tall, these large speakers can also serve as the sole speakers in a stereo system or as the front pair in a home-theater system. Their big cabinets have the potential to do more justice to deep bass than smaller speakers, but we believe many listeners would be satisfied with smaller speakers that scored well for bass handling. Even if floor models do a bit better, their size and cost may steer buyers toward smaller, cheaper bookshelf models.

Price range: 0 to more than ,000.

Center-channel speaker. In a multichannel setup, the center-channel speaker sits on or below the TV. Because it primarily handles dialog, its range doesn’t have to be as full as that of the front pair, but its sound should be similar so all three blend well. Dedicated center-channel speakers are short and wide (6 inches high by 20 inches wide, for instance) so they perch neatly atop a TV.

Price range: 0 to over 0.

Rear-surround speakers. Rear speakers in a multichannel setup carry mostly background sound such as crowd noise. Newer multichannel formats such as Dolby Digital, DTS, DVD-Audio, and SACD make fuller use of these speakers than did earlier formats. You’ll get the best blend if the rear pair sounds similar to the front pair. Rear speakers tend to be small and light (often 5 to 10 inches high and 3 to 6 pounds) so they can be wall mounted or placed on a shelf.

Price range: 0 to over 0.

Three-piece sets. Designed to be used as a stand-alone system or integrated with other speakers, these sets combine two bookshelf or satellite speakers for midrange and higher tones with either a center-channel speaker or a subwoofer for bass.

Price range: 0 to 0.

Six-piece sets. These systems have four satellites (used for both the front and rear pairs), one center-channel speaker, and a subwoofer. Six-piece sets save you the trouble of matching the distinctive sounds of six speakers. That can be a daunting task at home, and even more of a challenge amidst the din of a store that doesn’t have a decent listening room.

Price range: 0 to more than ,000.

Other shapes and sizes. A “powertower” is a tower speaker, usually priced above ,000, with a side-firing, powered subwoofer in its base.

IMPORTANT FEATURES

Lovers of loud sound should pay attention to a speaker’s measured impedance, which affects how well the speaker and receiver get along. Power range refers to the advertised watts per channel. The wattage within a matched pair, front or rear, should be identical. Additionally, a speaker’s power range should exceed the watts per channel supplied by your receiver or amplifier. Speakers sold to be near a TV set typically have magnetic shielding so they won’t distort the picture with their core magnets.

HOW TO CHOOSE

Consider size. Speakers come in all shapes and sizes, so see how they’ll fit in your room. Floor-standing speakers might overwhelm smaller spaces. Bookshelf speakers are often a better fit. But some are quite large, so make sure a model you choose will fit the shelf or niche you’ve earmarked for it. And don’t fear that you’re giving up quality for compactness. Many small speakers do a fine job. Style may factor into your decision as well. Some speakers are sleekly shaped, with silver finishes. Others are more conventional black boxes.

Focus on accuracy, not advertising. The most critical attribute of any speaker is accuracy--the ability to reproduce sound frequencies without over-or under-emphasizing any part of the audio range. As our test have shown time and again, some of the lowest-priced speakers can be among the most accurate. Ads often tout two-way or three-way drivers and the size of the cone inside a speaker, but you can’t judge sound quality by these attributes.

Listen for the differences. Even speakers with comparable accuracy scores can sound quite different. One model may overemphasize treble, while another under-emphasizes it. There’s no substitute for hearing speakers, so bring a CD with a familiar piece of music to the store. Pay special attention to the front pair, because those speakers do the most work.

Speakers will sound different at home because of your room size, shape, and furnishings, so see if the retailer will allow a home trial or ask about the return policy. If you’re torn between two choices, buy the cheaper. Stores may be more open to a return if you want to trade up to a pricier set.

Check impedance. If you like to play music loudly, make sure your receiver is rated to handle the impedance (generally ranging from 4 to 8 ohms) of the front speaker pair.

Copyright © 2002-2006 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc.

For the latest information on this and many other products and services, visit http://www.ConsumerReports.org

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Harman Kardon MS 150 Stereo System with CD Player, FM Tuner and Dock for iPod/iPhone by Harman Kardon

are sure You are going to Love Our Latest Harman Kardon MS 150 Stereo System with CD Player, FM Tuner and Dock for iPod/iPhone

There are lots of businesses that have a Harman Kardon MS 150 Stereo System with CD Player, FM Tuner and Dock for iPod/iPhone among their most important merchandise, while there is nothing particularly bad with the majority of them, this doesn't mean that there is anything at all particularly right with them either. This generally is a typical challenge when there are several different variations of a product on the market and one that our team have sought to improve this situation by re-creating one of our own.

Harman Kardon MS 150 Stereo System with CD Player, FM Tuner and Dock for iPod/iPhone

Precisely why may Harman Kardon create our own edition of the Harman Kardon MS 150 Stereo System with CD Player, FM Tuner and Dock for iPod/iPhone when there are so many of these presently that you can buy? The reply is that our team feel that we've produced the very best edition of this merchandise you are going to obtain anyplace so we are certain that as soon as you test it, you're going to appreciate the small unique variations we've constructed into our latest version. If you are interested in features, you will find that our product contains a lot more features as opposed to the most of our competition put together.

Basically we know that it requires more than an endless list of benefits to create a excellent product, we began with a exceptional basic version and then we began to incorporate the type of features we're also so recognized for. What we were left with is a Harman Kardon MS 150 Stereo System with CD Player, FM Tuner and Dock for iPod/iPhone that is first rate on the market and may literally blow the competitors away. If you are searching for a new product that is well worth the money, you will notice that ours may be the perfect purchase.

Harman Kardon MS 150 Stereo System with CD Player, FM Tuner and Dock for iPod/iPhone
List Price : $689.95

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More than 50 years ago, harman kardon engineers developed the world’s first stereo receiver - a high performance component that combined the functions of several systems, which had previously only been available separately. That tradition continues, in style, with the advent of the multitalented harman kardon MS 150 - a sophisticated music system and alarm clock that plays music from virtually any source. As a complete high performance system with a CD player, FM tuner and universal docking station that’s designed to work with your iPod or iPhone device (not included), the MS 150 delivers high-fidelity sound from two 30-watt built-in bass-reflex loudspeakers in a compact, convenient and easy-to-use package. It also comes with auxiliary inputs for integration with other audio products - making the MS 150 a versatile music system that’s perfect for the home, office or wherever you like to take in your favorite music.

Apple Compatibility for the On Stage Micro III:

• iPhone: 4GS, 4G, 3GS, 3G, 1G

• iPod: Classic 6th gen (video), 5th gen (video), iPod Touch (generations 1-4), iPod 4th gen (photo/color), 4th gen (click wheel), iPod nano 6th gen, iPod nano 5th gen (video camera), iPod nano 4th gen (video), iPod nano 3rd gen (video), iPod nano 2nd gen, iPod nano 1st gen

Feature

  • Two fully integrated 30-watt bass-reflex loudspeakers deliver high performance sound
  • Universal docking station allows playback from iPod/iPhone devices
  • Slot-loaded CD player plays your favorite discs
  • FM RDS tuner with six presets plays your favorite radio stations
  • Sophisticated, modern design looks great in any room

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Sony Mini Hi-Fi Shelf Component System(MHC - EC709IP)





Showing the features of the Sony Stereo MHCEC709IP. And also showing you many other things about it without talking to you. Features That I Will Tell You Can...

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Sharp HE CDDH950P Mini System by Sharp

Finally Offer the Newest Sharp HE CDDH950P Mini System

In this day and age while there are plenty of of these types of Sharp HE CDDH950P Mini System available, you'll find nothing greater than having the ability to purchase something that is built from a manufacturer that you know and have confidence in. When you shop around you're likely to find several of these products that make guarantees that they simply just can't maintain. While it is aggravating, it is nothing unusual because imitation is always the most sincere form of flattery.

Sharp HE CDDH950P Mini System
List Price : $189.99

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While Sharp most likely are not the first creator of the Sharp HE CDDH950P Mini System what we have done is taken a great idea and made it into a brilliant creation that will deliver several years of exceptional services. The first style enticed many customers as it was made with the greatest specifications of quality. We've carried on this practice to bring you our very most up-to-date release of a tried as well as trustworthy product.

Another thing we're also certain of is you are going to find that around this value, you are not about to get a better Sharp HE CDDH950P Mini System anywhere. To be sure that you are really going to get true value for the money Sharp has provided numerous really nice features that are likely to help make this amongst the items you have been able to discover in several years. We are certain that you will feel as though you are receiving actual worth for the money when you notice all the additional details We've incorporated into our latest product for making your life better.

Click here to see our Sharp HE CDDH950P Mini System full review & compare prices

Sharp HE CDDH950P Mini System

Mini Audio System with iPhone and iPod docking, 240 watts, subwoofer, shelf system, 5 CD Player and cassette, 1-800-BE-SHARP

Feature

  • IPhone & iPod Dock Mini System
  • 240 Watts RMS power, Subwoofer
  • 5 CD Player with MP3 and WMA compatibility
  • Charge iPod & iPhone

Monday, March 11, 2013

OmniMount Tria 3 Shelf Wall System, Black from OmniMount

OmniMount Tria 3 Shelf Wall System, Black

We Have Reinvented the OmniMount Tria 3 Shelf Wall System, Black

The OmniMount Tria 3 Shelf Wall System, Black has existed for countless years in a single form or another and for the almost all these years, there's never been one that even came near living up to the buzz that the makers professed in most of their advertising. Nevertheless we've paid actually huge amounts of money every year on them merely to end up tossing them in a cabinet or even a garage disillusioned.

At OmniMount we checked out what was occurring and the signifigant amounts of disillusioned individuals who were purchasing these items. That brought us to make the decision that somebody simply had to simply redesign the OmniMount Tria 3 Shelf Wall System, Black. Having said that, we resolved that there were already adequate sub-standard items in the marketplace and if we were planning to do it, we were going to perform it right, we are delighted to say that we have formulated the best product you can buy anywhere.

As we re-created the OmniMount Tria 3 Shelf Wall System, Black, we attempted to incorporate the functions that so many of the other products are lacking. This is what we think it requires to be the top in the business and we will never accept something less. We produce each of our items to the highest criteria because we realize that you demand nothing less knowing that if you are going to pay your hard earned dollars on a new product, you do not want to squander it. What you desire is to find something which will provide you with real value for your money and we are certain that you will discover our new model will do this for you.

OmniMount Tria 3 Shelf Wall System, Black
List Price : $149.95

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Tria 1 is a 1-shelf do-it-yourself solution that allows you to neatly organize components right under your flat panel without the need to run the connections through your wall. Tria 1 is designed with covers that easily snap on to the spine to route and hide wires. The Tria Series wall shelf systems offer hassle-free shelving and cable management solutions suitable for any environment and can be used with or without a flat panel. User-friendly features like adjustable shelves and paintable, trimmable covers make them customizable for any application.

Feature

  • Three adjustable 6mm tempered glass shelves with shelf capacity of 30 lbs each
  • Integrated cable management hides wires
  • Use with or without flat panel
  • Color: Black with black glass / Paintable and trimable covers
  • Mounting: Single-stud / Easy to Install

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Bose 161 Bookshelf Speaker System (Black) by Bose

We Are Thrilled to Introduce Our Latest Bose 161 Bookshelf Speaker System (Black) For You

Once in a while a new product comes along to alter how we live our lives. At Bose we know our newest Bose 161 Bookshelf Speaker System (Black) is among those items. Since we are certain you are already aware an item doesn't need to be completely unique in order to be fresh, it simply has to offer performance which is so much improved or diverse from any other equivalent item out there. This is exactly what it will take for any item to be truly worth spending your funds on.

Bose 161 Bookshelf Speaker System (Black)

Immediately after thinking about everything we are already marketing effectively over the past couple of years, we determined there has not been a greater time than now to completely revise it. What we discovered is there is nothing as good as returning to inception and looking at a item to determine everything we could do to make it much better. everything we designed is our company's newest Bose 161 Bookshelf Speaker System (Black) and we are very positive you may be completely delighted with that we are providing it at a special reduced price.

Not only did we go back to the start and create the brand new Bose 161 Bookshelf Speaker System (Black) from scratch, we have now incorporated a host of features which we are positive will definitely leave the competition sitting down at the starting line. No time before has anyone offered one of those products with so many extra extras at no extra cost. The product gives you the top value for your money you're likely to find any place.

Bose 161 Bookshelf Speaker System (Black)
List Price : $158.00

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Enjoy rich, full sound from music or movies with this compact pair of sleek Bose speakers. Whether placed on a desk or bookshelf or mounted on a wall for use as surround speakers, these speakers are designed to deliver balanced, spacious sound with minimal or moderate amplifier power (10 to 100 watts per channel). Automatic protection circuitry keeps the speaker drivers from being overdriven, heightening the speakers' reliability without interfering with your listening. Bose 161 speakers in black If you'll be using them in a home-theater capacity, keep in mind that they're designed to blend seamlessly with the Bose VCS-10 center-channel speaker and any Direct/Reflecting Bose speaker system. Unlike conventional speakers, which radiate sound in a single direction, these speakers use Articulated Array driver positioning and Stereo Everywhere technology to deliver balanced sound throughout your listening area. Further, Bose's two 2.5-inch proprietary Twiddler drivers per speaker move more air from their small enclosures than similarly sized conventional drivers, creating a sound you'd expect from much larger speakers. Be sure to use the proper gauge (or thickness) of wire or speaker cable for the length required to run the distance between your amplifier and your speakers. If the length is 30 feet, use a minimum of 18 gauge (.75 mm), use 16 gauge (1.5 mm) for 45 feet or 14 gauge (2 mm) for 70 feet. Supplied custom mounting brackets offer a range of placement options. What's in the Box - Left speaker, right speaker, mounting brackets, self-adhesive rubber feet, user's manual.

Feature

  • Versatile speakers for music and movies
  • Use in bookshelf or wall-mount applications
  • Articulated Array® speaker design