Linear Amplifier

What To Look For In A Headset Amplifier

2009-05-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

The world around us can sometimes be quite a noisy and hectic place, and often the only thing that stands between ourselves and that noisy world is a good headset amplifier. Being able to hear properly on a cell phone is essential, of course, whether the call is being made for business purposes or for purely personal reasons. One of the problems with cell phones, however, is not being able to clearly hear what the other party is saying, and cell phone misunderstandings can be devastating to your business as well as your personal life.

In order to avoid these potential cell phone faux pas, it is a good idea to invest in a high quality headset amplifier before it is too late. There are many such amplifiers on the market today, made by a number of the most well known and well respected makers of cell phones and audio equipment companies on the market. It is important to find the best possible amplifier you can, and to determine just what you need in that amplifier.

The most important thing to look for when shopping for a cell phone headset amplifier, of course, is effectiveness. It is vital that the cell phone amplifier you use be loud enough for you to hear even the softest talker with ease. In addition, it is important that the cell phone headset amplifier have a volume control that it easy to operate and very effective. It is important to be able to easily turn the volume of the amplifier up or down with one hand, perfect for those busy executives on the go.

Another important thing to look for when purchasing a new headset amplifier is to make sure that the amplifier can be removed without disconnecting the call. The ability to disconnect amplifiers, hands free headsets and other accessories without disrupting the call is always an important thing to look for.

In addition, in some cases cell phone owners will have their own favorite brands in mind, making the process of shopping for the right headset amplifier a lot easier. For those cell phone owners with no pre established brand preference, however, it may be a good idea to read the various reviews of different cell phone headset amplifiers and other accessories in order to get a better feel for who the leading companies in the industry are.

After you have narrowed down the choice of headphone amplifiers to just a few choices, it is important to shop around for the best price. There are a number of stores that sell headset amplifiers and other cell phone accessories, and it is important to shop around for the best possible price and value and to shop around at a variety of different stores. The prices charged for amplifiers and other accessories can vary quite a bit from store to store, so it definitely does pay to shop around.

Waldo has been a sound technician at a recording studio for over ten years. In his line of work, he has tested literally hundreds of different headsets and on http://www.bigheadset.com , he shares his in-depth analysis of different brands, models and headphone review.

Boost your power with a car amplifier

2009-04-25T03:01:00.000-07:00

Copyright 2006 Marc Deschamps

A car amplifier will give you a loud and clear sound on a consistent basis. It will boost the power flowing from the receiver to the speakers. In doing so, it will reduce the stress put on all the other componets of your car stereo system, including the receiver.

Choosing the right car amplifier is important. Your decision should be based on five important features. Make sure you address them all !

The first item on the agenda is the number of channels. This will depend on the number of speakers in your system. Two-channel amplifiers will feed well two speakers or a single subwoofer. You will want to consider a four-channel amplifier if you have any of the following combinations :

? Four speakers
? Two subwoofers
? Two speakers and one subwoofer

Then you want to look at power. An amplifier with an output two times the one of the reciever will give you enough added volume with less distortion. Make sure the wattage of the amplifiers is within the speaker's range. Also, make sure your electrical system can support the additional wattage.

An important feature to consider for your car amplifier is the connection structure. Many factory-installed receivers only come with speaker-level inputs that will require special adaptors. This will normally work very well. However, you may experience some distortion through the speakers. In that event, you may want to consider a new CD/MP3/AM/FM receiver, depending on your budget and sound requirements.

An amplifier normally includes a device to filter different frequencies and minimize distortion. This is called a crossover. Your amplifier should have one crossover for high-frequency notes and another for low-frequencies.

We should discuss one last feature. Most car amplifiers can combine the power of two channels into a single one. This is called bridging and is used to boost the power of the amplifier. The downside to this technique is to create some distortion and limiting the number of available channels. Since the cost of a an amplifier is more and more reasonable it might be wiser to buy a more powerful one !

If you are due for a car stereo upgrade, including an amplifier, don't be afraid to shop around for the best audio components at the most competitive price.

Here you go ! You are hopefully better "connected" to the important features to consider for your car amplifier ..... and more knowledge means ..... more power .... to make the right buying decision.

Car Amplifiers ? Music Entertainment On The Go Go Go!

2009-04-02T22:38:00.000-07:00

With the increasing growth in the Tech Industry and the undeniable appearances of new and unique musicians, it is difficult not to get attracted to different approaches we can carry music and make it part of almost every second of our daily lives.

Car Amplifiers Benefit Safety

Give that most of us spend increasing hours in our cars traveling from one place to another, many are now installing car audio amplifiers to bring music with us. Car amplifiers allow drivers to listen to their music on the road while still having the ability to hear what?s happening outside and inside of the vehicle. Even though many now own portable music playing devices, the increases safety car audio amplifiers provide as compared to straight connection to headphones are far more advantageous.

A simple tape adaptor or station channeling system can transfer music from walkmans, CD players, Ipods, etc. to the car audio amplifier. Through this, users riding inside their car can still listen to their music without having to plug their earphones/headphones on. Though the speakers and the subwoofers driven by the car amplifiers provide high music volume levels, it does not completely block all other sounds within the drivers range taken that it is adjusted in proper levels.

Types of Car Amplifiers

Car stereo amplifiers come in different types. There are 2-channel amplifiers which support and power a pair of speakers and subwoofers, multi-channel amps equipped to power an entire audio system, and sub-woofer mono amps providing efficient power to a sub-woofer. As there are different types of amplifiers, it is important that we gain understanding on steps on how to install a car stereo amplifier before spending any money for it.

Knowing what we want to install in our automobiles would be the first step. Identifying the products to purchase and running through the installation steps can save a lot of time and energy, not to mention money. It is recommended that one should look at car amplifier reviews to gain knowledge about the performance and capabilities of certain products. Not only will you understand the product?s functions but you will also be able to prepare for negative performances and problems users experienced with a certain model or type.

Car Amplifiers Installation Guide

Audio car amplifier installation is usually an easy process. However, it is important to be careful in following directions in order to ensure best performance from your product. Below is a common step by step guide on how to install a car stereo amplifier.

Step by Step guide: INSTALLING CAR STEREO AMPLIFIERS

1. Decide where the car audio amplifier would be placed in the car according to its function.
2. Prepare and purchase the wiring of the amps
3. Prepare tools such as pliers, knives, wire cutters, etc.
4. Position your car speakers.
5. Unplug the negative cable from the battery.
6. In the positive terminal of the battery, attach the cable with the fuse
7. Place the fuse in the fuse holder
8. Run the cable to the car amplifier.
9. Remove head unit.
10. Run signal and remote to the amp.
11. Connect RCA connectors and remote to the head unit
12. Connect the amp to the speakers
13. Reconnect negative cable to the battery.
14. Test system.
15. Play your music!

The steps above should help you gain more understanding on how to install a car stereo amplifier. In addition to this, it is advisable to request a manual on audio car amplifier installation tailored for the product you purchased. This will ensure that your music entertainment system will provide you with the best quality music on the go!
Samantha Clark heads consumer reviews at http://www.dealsdepot.com.au. One of the web's most popular Online Shopping sites.

Car Audio Amplifier Info: Seriously Everything You'll Ever Need To Know

2009-03-26T05:50:00.000-07:00

Amp Smarts:

Amplifiers are devices that take a teeny tiny audio signal from a pre-amp, some power from your battery, and pass it on as a big big audio signal to drive speakers.

The most important piece of advice I can give to you is to buy lots of power. To get the cleanest sound, it is absolutely essential to buy as much power as you can afford.

Here are some terms that you'll need to know when evaluating car audio amplifiers.

Watt: A watt is a measurment of power. Power is the ability to do work. In the case of amplifiers, the work is to move a speaker. Amplifiers come in all power ranges, from 20 watts per channel up to thousands per channel. When it comes to amplifiers, watts are described two ways:

RMS: An amp's power rating might say: 75W RMS x 4 CH @ 4Ω 14.4V This means that the amp is capable of 75 watts into 4 channels with 4 ohm speakers, and 14.4V of voltage. This amp is capable of providing that power if all of those conditions are met at all times. The truth is, even if you design your system to meet all of those conditions, it will not at all times. Speakers' impedences (measured in ohms, or Ω) change constantly while operating. Amps don't necessarilly put out the same power all of the time either, for example when a bass track is playing versus a much quieter track.

WHEN BUYING AN AMP, LOOK AT IT'S POWER RATING AS A MARKER FOR YOUR AMP'S CAPABILITY RATHER THAN WHAT IS LIKELY TO PUT OUT AT ALL TIMES.

However, I must also say that an amp's RMS rating is the one piece of information to look for to determine an amp's power.

CEA Compliant Power Output: This is (hopefully) going to become the industry standard for determining an amp's power output. This allows you to accurately compare two amps to each other, because you know that they were tested under the same conditions. To know why this is a good thing, click here...

MAX: Right under an amp's RMS rating, you'll see an amp's "MAX" rating. It is often double the RMS rating. The MAX rating is pure junk. Never pay attention to the max rating because it only shows what the amp is capable of in a laboratory setting. That kind of environment cannot be reproduced in the auto, and therefore the rating is misleading. An amp's max rating is proably about 50% more than the RMS. Never buy an amp based on it's Max rating. Ok, and lastly, because this makes you look like a total jerk, never ever ever say your amp is a 1000 watt amp because it has a max 1000 watt sticker on it, and ESPECIALLY if you bought your amp at the swap meet. 1000 watt amps are BIG and HEAVY.

Anyway, in summation, never buy an amp based on it's MAX rating.

CEA Compliant Power: (CEA=Consumer Electronics Association) This spec (if your amplifier includes it) is a new rating. The goals of this rating are to give a useful reference for amp comparison. In the "bad old days", amp manufacturers could pretty much claim whatever power output they wanted without specifying the testing methods. The CEA rating changes that. The CEA compliant power output specifies what power output you can expect when the following criteria are met: 14.4V, 4 Ohm speaker load and 1% distortion. You can now fairly compare two amplifiers to each other because you know they were tested in the same manner. Make sense? No? OK, look at it this way: If an amp has a CEA compliant output power of 100 watts per channel, you know that the amp is essentially equal to another amp with the same CEA rating. HOWEVER, you cannot compare this amp to another amp that is rated at 100 watts/channel RMS.

I am a big fan of this rating. FINALLY, there is a uniform standard for amplifier power output ratings. If an amp doesn't include this spec, then the manufacturer is probably trying to hide something.

Bridging: Many stereo and 4 channel amps allow you to "bridge". What you do with bridging is combine two channels into one, or four channels into two. This allows you to allocate more power to a single speaker, like a subwoofer for example. This is a handy feature for someone who has a stereo amp lying around, but they want to use all of its power to drive a single speaker. There's nothing wrong with bridging, and is often used for subwoofers.

Crossover: Many amps have a simple crossover built in. Basically, it will be a switch that will have three positions: high pass, low pass, off. High pass basically allows all of the higher frequencies to pass. This is handy if the amp is powering tweeters and mids. The low pass allows only the lower frequencies to be reproduced. This is handy if the amp is powering a subwoofer. Off means that all frequencies will be sent to the speaker.

Bass Boost: Some amps have a circuit that when switched on gives a boost to your bass. It is not essential, and I usually don't use it in my own system.

Frequency Response: This specification tells you what frequencies that the amp responds to. Higher frequencies are treble, lower frequencies are bass. The human ear can perceive from 20hz to 20,000hz (aka 20khz). Most amps will reproduce this frequency band with ease. Some will go above and beyond. Don't worry about that because usually CDs don't contain data out of that range, and even if they did, you wouldn't hear it! Some people talk about harmonics, and I don't know if it's true or not. But whateva. Read about this debate elsewhere.

Channel: Amps have channels that basically tell you how many loads it is built to drive. Loads=speakers, so a two channel amp will power two speakers.

Classes:

Different amps have different designs that all achieve the same thing (amplifying a musical signal), but achieve this in different ways. The way in which the amplifier is designed is refered to as its "class". There are 4 major types of classes, and an occasional oddball. I don't really know the technical differences between them, but it doesn't matter. We're just installing amps, not designing them!

A - Very good sound quality, very inefficient, uses boatloads of power, and wastes most of it in the form of heat.

B - Good sound quality, moderately efficient, uses a lot of power, wastes about half of it in the form of heat. Some "crossover distortion" present

A/B - Combination of classes A and B. At low volumes, uses the class A portion of the amp. At higher volumes, uses the class B portion of the amp.

D - So-so sound quality (but reproduces bass very well), highly efficient, uses minimal power, wastes very little of it.

Other classes: Whatever. They exist. I don't know if they sound better. Your ears are the best judge.

THD: This stands for "total harmonic distortion", but the D is all you have to pay attention to. Obviously, the lower this number, the better. You don't want your amps producing distortion and sending it to your speakers! It causes noise and speaker damage. The experts say any THD rating below 0.1% is inaudible, meaning you can't perceive it. But remember that distortion travels through all components, and is amplified by each one. So, having a low distortion amp, and other high distortion items in your system will reproduce distortion.

S/N Ratio: A Measure of how an amplifier silences backround noise. This spec is measured in db, and the HIGHER the s/n ratio, the cleaner your sound.

Speaker Level Inputs: This feature allows you to connect the amp to your system through speaker wires (instead of RCA cables). This feature is handy if you're adding an amp to your factory stereo system.

Preamp Outputs: This feature allows you to connect an RCA cable to the amp to supply a second amp with the musical signal. This feature is handy if you want to add a second amp without running a cable all the way from your head unit to the amp. Also, it allows you to add an additional amp to a head unit that may have only one set of RCA pre-outs.

Remote bass control: This feature allows you to control the bass output of the amp without having to adjust it on the amp. You can mount the control wherever's clever, and adjust the bass remotely.

HOW TO DETERMINE WHICH AMP IS BEST FOR YOUR SYSTEM:

How many channels is your system?
How to hook up those channels.
Features you want

Crossover:
Inputs:

speaker (hi level)

rca, pre-amp (lo level)

How many channels are you going to drive? We already discussed the ranges of stereo systems, so you need to determine how many speakers you're driving. Say you want to build an intermediate system with 6 speakers. You figure you want to amplify all 6 of those with a "real" amp. You can go a few routes: You can buy a 6 channel amp, or a 5 channel amp, and power your whole system. That makes life easy if you want to keep installation clean and simple. You could also power your speakers with multiple amps: One mono, one 4-channel, you could even use three stereo amps. If you want to get really fancy, you could bi-amp your component speakers, bringing your amp count to 3, 4, and 5 amps!

One way that you can get creative with your installation is through bridging. If you want to power 2 or more subs on a stereo amp, you can bridge it, or combine the two channels into one. From there, you can wire your subs in parallel or series to obtain the proper ohm load. It's an easy way to power multiple speakers on one amp.

To save money, you can always opt not to install an amp for the rear speakers. I often times just power them off of the head unit. If I am listening to music without rear passengers, I can just fade the head unit to the front, leaving me with the amplified front speakers.

Do you need an amp to have a crossover?

Crossovers come in handy when you are powering subwooers. Most amps can reproduce the entire range of human hearing. However, when we install subs, we only want them to reproduce bass. If the amp has a crossover, you can turn it on, and essentially tell the amp to only send bass to the subwoofers. Since subs can only reproduce bass, why have the amp waste energy sending the subwoofers frequecies it can't reproduce? LUNACY I TELL YA!

Inputs

speaker: These are called high-level inputs because the signal is already highly amplified. Get an amp with high-level inputs if you are integrating an amp with a factory head unit.

rca: These are called low-level inputs because the signal is not highly amplified. These inputs are RCA style, and are preferred because they produce lower noise. This is the best option if you are using an aftermarket head unit.

So, now you're really educated about amps. Don't worry. You can thank us later!

-Honest AEB

Alan Bayer is an entrepreneur and car audio enthusiast. He runs an eBay store selling car stereo install supplies:

stores.ebay.com/honest-aebs-autosound

He also has a GREAT website with car audio articles (such as the one from above). Also on the website, learn about car audio equipment, how to find the best equipment, how to install it, and save big bucks in the process!

www.honestaebs-caraudio.com

Subscribe to my magazine for free on the "Magazine" page

Guitar Amplifiers - What They Are And How They Work

2009-03-20T22:50:00.000-07:00

Chances are you?ve just bought your first Electric guitar and wish to find out all about guitar amps. Maybe you?re just curious as to how long amps have been around, how they work, or which to purchase. Whatever the reason, by reading this article, you?ll get answers.

History of the Amplifier

Guitar amps have been around for roughly 70 years now, having first appeared during the 1930s. The earliest amps had very poor high treble and bass responses. This was improved over time, as amps became better developed. During the ?60s, the guitar amp greatly evolved to where it is today when guitarists of that era experimented with deliberately overloading their amp to create Distortion. From that point on, most amps were provided with preamp distortion controls. Playing with distortion has since become an important part of Electric guitar playing.

Types of Amplifiers

There are two types of amps: solid state and vacuum tube amps. Additionally, there are some amps that combine both solid state and tube technologies. Most amps, especially the least expensive ones, are solid state because they are lighter and easier to repair than tube amps are. A lot of guitarists, however, prefer the tube amp due to the tube amp?s analog sensitivity, which they claim makes tube amps sound better. While this is probably the case, most beginners can?t afford to shell out the $500-$1000 it costs to buy a good tube amp. That?s why solid state amps are actually a good buy in some cases.

Solid state and vacuum tube amps come in combo (speakers and head) packages or separately. Guitarists who aren?t picky can just buy the combo, while those who are picky can ?mix and match? heads and speakers. This is useful for those looking to achieve a certain sound.

How Amps Work/What Watts Mean

Without going into a big, long, technical explanation, amplifiers basically take the vibration (sound) of the string(s) and amplify it, thereby increasing the sound. If you wish to find out more about the technical side of guitar amps, there are several good books that cover the topic pretty thoroughly.

Each amplifier has a certain number of watts. The higher the number of watts, the louder the sound produced by the amp is. Generally speaking, those who wish to play shows will want to get amplifiers with at least 30 watts, preferably at least 50 watts, especially if they plan on playing at larger venues.

Gray Rollins is a writer for GuitarsLand.com - a great site to learn about guitar equipment and how to play the guitar. To learn more about guitar amps, be sure to visit GuitarsLand.com today.

Car Amplifiers - Information You Shouldn't Be Without

2009-03-12T02:05:00.000-07:00

An amplifier takes a signal from a source and makes it larger. This makes the sound louder. The hard part is amplifying the signal without adding any distortion. Amplifiers must have a power supply strong enough to keep them going and must store enough current to deliver all of the transients in the music.

How they work

A cassette radio or CD player produces a maximum of about nine real watts into four speakers given the power it gets from the car's electrical system. So what if you want more than nine real watts to power each of the speakers? You obviously need an amplifier. Amplifiers give more power allowing you to play your music more loudly. Amplifiers also improve the sound quality of music at all volume levels.

Features of Car Amplifiers

Here are some important facts you should be aware of if you want to choose the right amplifier...

? Bridging amplifiers are very flexible because they can be used in different system configurations. One amplifier can be used to power one, two, three or four speakers.

? Speaker-level inputs are the only way your amplifiers can get signals if your radio doesn't have RCA-type output jacks.

? Preamp outputs are very useful when creating a multi-amplifier system because they allow an un-amplified signal to pass out of one amplifier to another.

? Remote bass control is available in some amplifiers that have a port to add an optional control knob. This varies the amount of power going to the subwoofer driven by the amplifier.

? High-pass filters, low-pass filters and crossovers give you the flexibility to remove the frequencies you don't want to send to the speakers powered by the amplifier.

? Bass boost is available in some amplifiers. This lets you boost the bass significantly up to 18dB through a circuit.

An amplifier can have one channel of output or as many as eight channels. The most common amplifiers are two and four channel models but mono amplifiers are also becoming popular.

You can get great amplifiers and deals at CarAudioPlus. If you want to read more on car audio visit: car-audio-products-and-accessories.com

Chimezirim Odimba writes for CarAudioPlus.

Car Amplifiers - Information You Shouldn't Be Without

2009-03-12T01:00:00.000-07:00