Colin Posted January 2, 2003 Share Posted January 2, 2003 Did I post this? How Amplifiers Work by Tom Harris http://www.howstuffworks.com/amplifier4.htm Some pretty simple explanations, with graphs, to the unseen areas inside our black boxes: X How Speakers Work X How Analog and Digital Recording Works X How Semiconductors Work X How CDs Work X How Tape Recorders Work X How Movie Sound Works X How Surround Sound Works X How Home Theater Works X How do microphones work, and why are there so many different types? X Amplifier Basics X Do-It-Yourself Audio Amplifier X PBS: Transistorized! X How Audio Amplifiers Work X Intel: How Transistors Work X Analog Audio Power Amplifier Design X Electronics Tutorials: Amplifiers X Transistors X How Transistors Work X DIYAudio.com X Stereophile Magazine Read through these articles, Professor Garrison will administrator a test in two weeks. Winner gets a Klipsch certificate for a Klipsch Certified Systems Engineer (KCSE), not be to confused with the KFCSE for KFC Soda Engineer (refills, maintenance and installation. The KCSE is a valuable certification for sales people, stereo shop clerks and budding new audio engineers eager to learn the ins and outs of modern home movie and music reproduction systems. The KCSE certification opens the doors to a thriving and changing technological industry of new sales, upgrades and installations. NOTE: Once certified, KCSEs are not expected to program complete HT systems or VCRs. The KCSP (Klipsch Certified Systems Programmer) specifically covers remote controls, digital receivers, converter boxes, replay units and VCR installation and programming.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HornEd Posted January 2, 2003 Share Posted January 2, 2003 A great way to start the new year is to check out what "authorities" say. Although this one may get some raised eyebrows on the speaker side of surround sound. The "expert" in this case looks at the high end of home theater being all THX Certified equipment. Maybe they just haven't upgraded their opinion since 80% of THX was sold to the Singapore connection for certifying everything that will pay the fee. Apparently, this "How Stuff Works" guy is also subject to running afoul of any Forum "exspurt" who believes that anyone that doesn't have a bi-pole (KSV-S6) or bi-pole plus mini-woofer (WDST)... "doesn't understand surround sound." "For your home theater system, you will need five standard speakers (or six, if you're putting together a Dolby Digital Ex system) and an optional subwoofer speaker for bass sounds. Ideally, you'll want to get five (or six) identical speakers, to insure rich sound from all sides, but this might not be feasible, depending on your theater space and budget. If you're looking to save money, you could even use your television's built-in speaker as the central front unit, but it won't give you the best results. Different speaker models handle sound differently, creating an unbalanced surround effect. To get theater-quality effects, you should get three identical, full-size front speakers. "Many home theater systems use more compact, generally less-expensive speakers for the two rear surround channels. This will usually give you fine results, and is often the best solution if you don't have space for full-size speakers in your theater room. Some people even prefer these smaller bipole and dipole speakers because they generate sound in multiple directions, giving a more diffused sound. " Of course, there was a time when only dipole out-of-phase, away-from-the-sweet spot, sound sprayers were certified for the Lucas Films experiment THX. Klipsch and most other serious speaker manufactures got out of that mould fairly early in the game. And of course, anyone who would buy five, six or seven RF-7's for a surround system may be hurting WDST sales... but they certainly are helping the Klipsch bottom line. Then, too, there are those like my hero Q-Man who likes to do seven or so K-horns with a few LaScalas inverted for front effects... and that certainly hasn't hurt the Klipsch HT image either! And, to round out the view, there is always our Forum grown ambassador of amplification, SteveP, who practices Klipschorns and KSP-S6's to Becky's delight! From what I have heard, PWK wasn't a bipole enthusist... at least not for his own listening preferences. It's a good thing PWK went to Stanford since our local RollTide U. repeater seems to be hung-up on a very narrow perspective of what constitutes "surround" sound. IMHO, the tendency of this Forum's members to show alternatives in all manner of things gives it much of its character... and repeating those things from time-to-time help newbies understand the audio universe rather than just the green area around our own personal privy. =HornEd PS: I realized this thread was started as a "Colin-ization" of two-channel excellence... but Colin did include a reference to surround sound... so I may not be found entirely guilty by the ubiquitous T(hread)-T(opic)-K(op) this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted January 3, 2003 Author Share Posted January 3, 2003 Colinization, oh thats cute, I will have to steal that one myself; look to see it used with my own imperilism, used to describe the instinctive colonial tendencies of large, strong nations towards their neighbors and the long term (implosion) risks it brings. Thanks for the note about bi-polar, it helps to be reminded that not all of us are headed down the Bose jewel cube pathway to audio nirvana ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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