Acoustic Technologies

What makes up a Sound System?

Source: Anything that can be heard

Amplifier: Transforms a "line level" signal into  high level electricity

Loudspeakers: "Transducer" converts electrical energy into an acoustical energy

• Tweeter: designed to output frequencies higher than 1.5kHz and usually above 6kHz. Usually smaller than 5” in diameter

•Midrange:  or “Squawkers”designed to output frequencies above 500Hz and usually not higher than 6kHZ.  Typically 5” to 12” (cones)

•Woofers:  designed to reproduce low frequencies, usually below 500Hz.  Usually 8” to 18” in diameter.

•Full-range loudspeakers:  entire speaker systems that integrate woofer and tweeter (sometimes midrange) in a single enclosure.  Designed to, as the name implies, reproduce full audio range, with limitations.  

*Of course, most audio systems are much more complex and use interface boxes, signal processors, mixers, equalizers, crossovers, etc. 

Components

PreAmplifier: A Pre-Amp takes the low level input signal of the source player and amplify's it to line level for the amplifier.

Mixers: Amplify, mix a program source, and route signals.

• Bass/treble adjustments are the most elementary of these types of adjustments
• Input Gain Knobs are utilized to adjust the amount of electrical signal passed on to the next piece of gear in the chain of components.

Equalizers: Alter the amount of electrical signal for a select frequencies.

Crossovers: "Roll off" certain frequencies to limit the amount of signal sent to High Frequency loudspeakers (tweeters), Middle Frequencies, (Mids), Low Frequencies (woofers) and Sub Levels (Sub Woofers)

A.K.A. Signal Processors can perform one or all of these functions

DSP: Digital Signal Processor

Pros:

• Compact, uses less rack space
• No customer interface, set it and forget it.
• Very flexible

Cons:

• More  expensive
• Need PC knowledge and a computer to interface.

Power Amplifier: Amplifies the line level signal to loudspeaker level. 

• 70 volt "Constant Voltage" amplifiers are the most common in business music. These amplifiers are used to drive multiple loudspeakers using transformers.
• 8ohm or Consumer Amplifiers "Constant Current" are used for home entertainment systems to drive one or two loudspeakers per channel
• Power amplifiers require pre-amps or mixers

 

Mixer/Amplifiers: With signal processing modules or inputs

Need More Information?

If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, we would appreciate hearing from you. For general inquiries please call us at 1.888.607.6034 or e-mail us at info@acoustictechgroup.com.