Music systems: active acoustics

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Listening to the compositions of your favorite music artists, hardly anyone thinks about the numbers associated with hertz, decibels, watts, frequencies, and even THD. However, the clarity of reproduction, loudness and saturation of sound depends on them. It is hardly possible to unequivocally state that the most powerful is also the best active acoustics.

Human hearing and speaker selection

Sound is called the mechanical vibrations of the elements of the physical environment, capable of causing certain sensations in the human brain. The propagation speed of these waves depends on the density of the water, wood, metal or air in which they move. Scientists have proven that people hear only a certain part of sound frequencies: from 20 Hz to 22 kHz. The lower region of the range is infrared (very low), the upper one is ultrasonic (too high). As it becomes clear, radiation with values greater or less than these figures, our ear cannot physically hear.

Music and latest technology

Basicthe number of sound-producing systems is divided by experts into 3 groups.

The first includes the so-called "point" loudspeakers that broadcast speech or music in one direction.

The second group includes systems of emitters, the horns of which are aimed at servicing a certain zone: streets or sites.

The third category includes active acoustics, with a system for distributing sound sources on several lines:

• only on parallel walls;
• on one wall;
• at the ceiling and along the walls;

Linear active hi-fi acoustics are used both on open stages, and at home, and in closed halls.

Is it true that the more powerful the speaker, the louder the music sounds?

The best active acoustics will easily deprive households of rest and sleep with deafening songs. However, the power indicator has nothing to do with it. This characterizes, rather, the mechanical reliability of the system: the higher the number, the longer it will work. And the power of the amplifier must necessarily be less than the power of the speakers, otherwise the music will quickly stop, as the speakers may overheat and burn out.

In reality, the playback volume is not affected by force, but by the sensitivity of the speakers, measured in decibels. An index of 85 dB is quite suitable for musical equipment installed in an apartment.

Another important parameter is the frequency index. Home acoustics (active or passive) should have both woofers and tweeters and midrange speakers. Availabilitythe full spectrum of frequencies in the music will make it richer, and listening will bring a lot of pleasure.

Striped systems - what a joke

In fact, active acoustics, like passive ones, have not banding, but banding. If there is only one speaker in the room, this is a single-band or wideband sound, two (one with bass and midrange, and one with treble) is two-way. Sophisticated music lovers purchase three-, four- and even five-way audio systems for themselves, in which each speaker is equipped with beepers that produce sounds of a separate range. A feature of multiband systems is the presence of built-in filters that create sound radiation accessible to the human ear.

Active hi-fi speakers usually consist of a main unit, bass subwoofers and several small satellite speakers.

When purchasing a ready-made system, you should pay attention to the completeness of the kit. It should consist of elements such as:

• subwoofer + loudspeaker;
• paired rear and front speakers;
• center unit with loudspeaker.

Active acoustics for home theater should be equipped with a rear channel. This will create an immersive sound experience.

Wooden or plastic?

When choosing a music system, pay attention to the material of the speaker cabinet. Modern active outdoor acoustics are most often placed in bass-reflex boxes. For the manufacture ofloudspeaker bodies use both wood and plastic. It is better if the case has an irregular shape, without ventilation holes and with well-glued joints. The downside of plastic cases is rattling with a significant increase in volume, distortion of sounds. Therefore, manufacturers traditionally pack more serious systems than computer speakers in reliable wooden boxes.

How to properly place the elements of the acoustic system in the room?

Good qualities for listening to music are rooms that meet the following basic requirements:

• lack of "fluttering" echo and local sound concentration;
• even distribution of sound energy throughout the room;
• minimize noise interference.

When preparing a room for placing sound broadcasting devices, it is important to remember that the surfaces of opposite walls should not be perfectly smooth and parallel. Otherwise, the sounds will be reflected from them, like balls, creating the effect of an unfading echo, which will turn the musical composition into one continuous loud rumble with phonetic gaps. Niches, pilasters, fabric mufflers are quite suitable for creating diffuse reflection and improving diffuseness.

If hosts like to sing karaoke, consider placing a microphone in the room. It is important to position it in such a way as to avoid self-excitation of the amplifiers. Otherwise, instead of singing, you will have to listen to the creaking and screeching of the speakers.

When acoustics are active placed inprepared hall, the sound quality corresponds to the declared indicators and will give you a great listening experience.