If you’re listening to audio from loudspeakers, it’s practically guaranteed that there is a power amplifier in the audio signal chain. If you can’t see the amplifier unit, it’s probably built into the active speaker. If the speaker is passive, it will require a power amplifier. This article is about the latter of the two…
Knowing that you have the right equipment can help boost your home entertainment setup. When it comes to choosing between an amplifier and a receiver, many newcomers to AV technology may require some additional context to understand what will best suit their system. Should you buy an amplifier or a receiver? If you only need…
If you’re a musician, filmmaker, or podcaster, I’m positive you’ve searched endlessly to achieve optimal sound quality to improve the consumer’s experience of your projects. In many conversations regarding this topic, microphone preamplifiers are at the heart of the discussion. Do microphone preamplifiers improve sound/audio quality? A mic preamp will affect audio quality as it…
When you find that your car’s battery is draining and dying on you often, looking for the cause of the problem is the best thing to do. After finding a cause, you can start to look for solutions and answers to fix the problem with your battery. Do car audio systems drain batteries? Car audio…
Playing a synthesizer through an amplifier and speaker gives you that rumble that only air being moved can generate. But what if the only amp and speaker you have around is a guitar amp? Can you play a synthesizer or keyboard through a guitar amp? A synthesizer can plug directly into a guitar amplifier with…
Electric guitars and basses are naturally mono instruments, but the music they’re used in is most often in stereo. So then, it makes sense that there would be some confusion as to whether guitar/bass amplifiers are mono or stereo. Are guitar amplifiers mono or stereo devices? Electric guitars and bass guitars are naturally mono instruments,…
The first commercial digital audio recordings were released in 1971, and since then, listeners have been amplifying these recordings to enjoy them through speakers and headphones. Nowadays, most of the audio people listen to is digital (even with the resurgence of analog audio vinyl records), which begs the question of whether amps are digital devices…
Class D amplifiers are cherished for their efficiency, which makes them lightweight and allows them to run cooler than their linear counterparts (class A, B and A/B). A major concern with class D amps is that they don’t offer the same audio fidelity as linear amps. However, the improvement of class D technology and error…
So you’re wondering which power amplifier you should buy, rent or otherwise try out. In this comprehensive buyer’s guide, we’ll go through everything worth considering before you make any decisions about a power amp. If you’ve found yourself asking, “Which power amplifier should I buy?” this extensive resource is for you. Please feel free to…
So you’re wondering which microphone preamplifier you should buy, rent or otherwise try out. In this comprehensive buyer’s guide, we’ll go through everything worth considering before you make any decisions about a mic preamp. If you’ve found yourself asking, “Which mic pre should I buy?” this extensive resource is for you. Please feel free to…
So you’re wondering which AV receiver or amplifier you should buy, rent or otherwise try out. In this comprehensive buyer’s guide, we’ll go through everything worth considering before you make any decisions about an AV receiver or amplifier. If you’ve found yourself asking, “Which AV receiver/amplifier should I buy?” this extensive resource is for you….
Phonograph/vinyl records have been around since the 1940s and are still a fairly popular method of listening to music. To play vinyl records, one must have several pieces in his or her sound system, including speakers, a power amplifier, a record player (turntable), and, as we’ll discuss in this article, a phono preamplifier stage. Note…
