Quality acoustics: specifications and models

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

Quality acoustics today is not only an indicator of financial well-being, but also a convincing sign of legibility in technology and good taste. The music market offers more and more new and improved models every year, and finding something suitable for you can sometimes be very difficult.

Of course, you can use "grandfather's gramophone" to listen to your favorite music, but it is unlikely that it will give the volume, clarity and palette of sound that high-quality acoustics can convey. Which systems are ideal for the home and which for the car?

How it all began

The first sound recording and playback devices appeared at the end of the 19th century. They worked not from electricity, but mechanically. A striking example of this was Edison's phonograph (1877), which recorded sound by moving a needle connected to a membrane. The movement took place on a drum covered with wax or foil. Then the needle moved along the already drawn path. This is how the sound was played.

The phonograph was replaced by the gramophone. The principle of operation remained the same, only instead ofdrum, a varnished disc was used. Gramophones, and then gramophones, gradually spread throughout the world.

Breakthrough

The issue of using electricity for sound reproduction remained open. Back in 1824, Ernst Siemens (the creator of the company of the same name) proposed a description of the apparatus, where a special coil with a winding moves under the influence of an electric current, and its vibrations reproduce sound. However, the invention remained in theory until 1915. So far, these developments have not been picked up by the engineers of the Bell company (the inventor of the telephone). Soon the streets of cities were decorated with horn loudspeakers. But their range was low.

A real breakthrough in acoustics was an electrodynamic radiator from the American company General Electric. In it, the diaphragm worked in a range significantly higher than its frequency. The device was used for Radiola Model 104 loudspeakers and Radiola 28 radio receivers. In 1927, sound quality improved due to the introduction of a permanent magnet into the design of the loudspeaker head. Since that time, there have been many changes in acoustic systems, but the principle of operation has remained the same.

Emitter

Modern speaker systems are designed to reproduce sound and consist of an acoustic design and a built-in speaker. By the number of speakers, single-way and multi-way devices are distinguished. Creating a transducer that clearly reproduces the sounds of various frequencies is quite difficult, so single-band systems have not gained popularity.

In multiband devices, audio frequenciesdivided into several ranges overlapping each other. Each range has its own dynamic head. It is this device that explains high-quality acoustics.

Classification of acoustic systems

All acoustic systems are divided into active and passive (by connection with an amplifier), shelf and floor standing (by size), budget, Hi-Fi, High-End-class (by cost).

The passive acoustic device includes an emitter and a crossover, an external amplifier. Active ones are supplemented with a built-in power amplifier. The built-in amplifier saves money because there is no need to purchase a separate unit. However, if the speaker system is installed at a certain height, then maintenance of the amplifier becomes more difficult. In powerful acoustic systems, amplifiers are installed in each device, and this requires two power supplies. Accordingly, the cost of the device also increases.

Taking into account all the subtleties of the device, the use of active speakers is advisable for personal computers, in studio monitors and for sounding discos and small concert venues.

All-weather acoustic systems fall into a separate category. They work in extreme conditions, with sudden changes in temperature. As well as Lifestyle-class systems that combine exclusive design and high-quality sound.

Acoustic design

The design of acoustic systems is represented by several options. It maybe closed or open box. The latter includes acoustic screens or shields, as well as the so-called "active case". Maybe the design of Jensen-Onken, and the mouthpiece, and Push-pull, and the system with a labyrinth. In addition, an "acoustic lens" or a Helmholtz resonator can be used.

Material

In choosing an acoustic system, in addition to technical characteristics, the material from which the device is made is also important. Because it also affects the sound quality and the cost of the system. Speaker cabinets are usually made of wood, plastic, and metal. In other words, the "body" of the speaker must be rigid in order to absorb / reflect sound waves of a certain power, frequency.

For budget options, plastic is used. Speakers of various shapes are quite practical, often used for personal computers. However, plastic has one drawback. It rattles from a large sound pressure (loudness). Although there are speaker models that are made of multi-layered plastic, which is more resistant to high sound power.

Lightness, good density and rigidity have metal speaker cabinets, or rather, they are made of aluminum alloys. The aluminum itself reduces resonance and improves the transmission of sound frequencies. A special colorless film protects the "flying metal" from oxidation. Such devices can be used as all-weather.

But the highest quality speakers have a wooden case. Ideally, a tree is selected before felling, thenwait until it dries naturally. The production and processing itself is almost entirely done by hand. The material is not always available, so multi-layer plywood, MDF, chipboard are more often used. The material has excellent characteristics: it does not carry overtones, absorbs sound vibrations, has mechanical rigidity, etc. Delamination and moisture absorption are prevented by painting or veneering.

Some manufacturers use non-standard materials. For example, Waterfall makes speaker cabinets out of glass.

AC for home

Choosing a speaker system can be overwhelming for anyone. And it's not even about quality and price, but about the variety of manufacturers and models. High-quality acoustics for the home is selected according to the following algorithm:

• To begin with, it is worth deciding what appearance and dimensions the acoustic system should have. Appearance is a matter of personal taste and dimensions should be appropriate for the room where the device will be located.
• Keeping in mind the size of the speakers, you should also consider their acoustic properties of the cabinet and speaker. Sometimes medium-sized systems are quite powerful, which is not suitable for a small room.
• High-quality acoustics have a wooden body, but other materials should be given a chance. Their properties can also "enrich" the sound.
• The technical data sheet also matters. It details important indicators: loudspeaker sensitivity (ideally from 90 dB), frequency range (20 Hz-20 kHz),number of bands (two-three), AC resistance (4.6-8 ohms) and electric power (50-100 W for home).
• And finally, checking the selected system. In this case, the amplifier should not have a multi-band equalizer, but only a tone control. Sometimes sales assistants are tricky in using the amplifier.
• Music is also important for high-quality acoustics. The sound source must be a CD / DVD player, and the disc must be branded (CD format). Quality acoustic test music should sound equally good at different volume levels.

AC for cars

Quality acoustics in the car - no less sensitive issue. There are many manufacturers and advertising, but how to choose the right one? Of course, it is right to rely on your own musical preferences: the natural strength of the sound or the dominance of the bass. But still there are general technical parameters.

• It is worth paying attention to the speakers. Preferably rubber, not cloth.
• Installation. In front of the car, divorced acoustics with slit tweeters (tweeters) are installed. They provide a soft, smooth sound. Behind the cabin, acoustics (17-20 cm) are also installed. The front speaker reproduces high and medium frequencies, the rear speaker reproduces low frequencies.
• Speakers need a podium and sound deadeners on the door.
• The last moment - quality music to test the acoustics. High bitrate has a CD format. Therefore, it is preferable for system testing. The MP3 and MPEG formats use compression and lose quality as a result.

About manufacturers

Among the companies involved in the creation of acoustic systems, there are several conscientious and time-tested. Yamaha, Microlab, Cabasse, JMLab, Piega. The German company Bell-Audio is known for the use of two-layer monolithic plastic in the manufacture of cases. In terms of density and rigidity, they surpass even wooden ones. Another top notch speaker manufacturer is Gemme Audio. For her models, she uses chipboard and powerful emitters.

Quality car acoustics are produced by companies: Focal, Infinity, hertz, Morel, Magnat, as well as the "luminaries" of technology Panasonic, Pioneer, Kenwood.

DIY

If budget options are not satisfactory in terms of quality, and there is not enough money for expensive acoustics, you can try to develop and assemble the device yourself. How to make high-quality acoustics?

Quite difficult. It takes not only time and ingenuity, but also knowledge of certain programs. For example, according to the calculation of acoustic design, the position of the speakers on the front panel of the case and their combination for a two- or three-way system. It can take months to produce one column.