- Home
- Understanding Audio
- Understanding Audio
Understanding Amplifier Power
Amplifier power is probably the most misunderstood and abused parameter of amplifiers and speakers. Yet, it is often the first (and possibly only) parameter...Understanding AudioUnderstanding Speaker Sensitivity
Speaker sensitivity is a measurement of how well a speaker converts the amplifier power to to acoustic energy. In others words, how loud the...Understanding AudioHow Multiple Speakers Share Power
Often people are wanting to add speakers to their amplifier to increase power. However, in most cases, adding speakers will reduce the power in...Understanding AudioSpeaker Impedance Changes Amplifier Power
Speaker impedance changes amplifier power output. In fact, your amplifier power could be nearly half or double its capacity - depending on the impedance...Home SpeakersUnderstanding Speaker Impedance
Speaker impedance is often presented as a complex subject and therefore is either ignored or misunderstood. A basic understanding of speaker impedance is not...Understanding AudioUnderstanding Distributed Speaker Systems
Distributed speaker systems are also known as "100 volt line" or "70 volt line" speaker systems. They are used extensively where multiple speakers are...Understanding AudioDouble amplifier power does not double the volume
This article logically shows the relationship between amplifier power, SPL and loudness. It includes a level difference exercise and a gain calculator.Understanding AudioUnderstanding Acoustic Feedback
Acoustic feedback it that annoying loud continuous tone you get when the sound system is not set up or operated properly. Acoustic feedback can...Understanding AudioUnderstanding Audio Frequency
Every sound we hear is at a certain frequency. When we say someone has a deep voice, we are describing a voice producing low...Understanding AudioUnderstanding Decibels (part 2)
In the first article we saw that a decibel is not a fixed unit, rather, it is a ratio between two levels. A decibel...Understanding AudioUnderstanding Decibels (part 1)
Decibels are widely used in audio, and often misunderstood. These articles give a practical understanding on using decibels in audio work. But first, some...Understanding AudioUnderstanding Audio Levels
A basic understanding of the general audio levels mentioned in this article will help you avoid the common mistakes often made when connecting audio...Understanding AudioUnderstanding Microphone Sensitivity
What do you understand about microphone sensitivity? Of late I have seen a number of people miss-interpret the specifications of microphones, especially when it...
- Home Speakers
- Home Speakers
Connecting Speakers FAQs
After answering nearly 1000 questions on connecting speakers on this website, some common themes have emerged. Please read the answers to these Frequently Asked Questions...Home SpeakersSpeaker Selector Switch Simulators
The speaker selector switch simulators presented here demonstrate how speaker selectors deal with speaker impedance and power distribution. Speaker selector switches are used to...Home SpeakersUnderstanding Speaker Impedance
Speaker impedance is often presented as a complex subject and therefore is either ignored or misunderstood. A basic understanding of speaker impedance is not...Home SpeakersHow to Connect 2 Speakers to 1 Amplifier
In this article we look at how and when to connect 2 speakers in parallel or series. Both the theory and practical points on...Home SpeakersSpeaker Selector Switch Summary
Speaker selector switches are the most common item bought from Amazon through this website (with over 800 units sold). Therefore I thought it is...CalculatorsSpeakers in Parallel Calculator
Jump Straight to Calculator The calculator below is useful in determining the total impedance of speakers in parallel. It also calculates how the power is...Home SpeakersHow to wire Four Speakers to One Amplifier
In an earlier article we looked at the issues involved in connecting multiple speakers to one amplifier. In this article we look at some...Home SpeakersHow do I Connect Multiple Speakers to my HiFi Amplifier
I am often asked "How do I connect multiple speakers to my amplifier?" Before I answer, let's define what we mean by the word...
- Home Connections
- Home Connections
How do I connect a VCR to a Flat Screen TV
You may still have many video tapes that you like to play but find it hard to connect a VCR to your new flat...Home ConnectionsReflections on the TV Remote Control
The recent passing of Eugene Polley, the man known for inventing the remote control, has given me cause to reflect on the development of...Home ConnectionsHow do I connect a PVR to a flat screen TV
PVR is an acronym for Personal Video Recorder. A PVR is the new video cassette recorder (VCR). It works similarly to a VCR, but...Home ConnectionsVideo Signals & Cables: Summary
This is the summary of the previous five articles looking at the different video signals and connectors commonly used in Home AV. Previously we...Home ConnectionsHow do I connect my Flat Screen TV
Connecting your TV is not as hard as it looks. All the sockets on the back and up the side of a flat screen...Home ConnectionsVideo Signals & Cables: HDMI
In this article, we look at HDMI: what it is, where it is used, and what cables are used for HDMI. This is the...Home ConnectionsVideo Signals & Cables: Component Video
In this article, we look at component video signal: what it is, where it is used, and what cables are used for component video....Home ConnectionsVideo Signals & Cables: RGB video
In this article we look at RGB video signal: what it is, where it is used, what cables to use and the problems with...Home ConnectionsVideo Signals & Cables: S-Video
In this article we look at S-video signal: what it is, what cables to use, where S-video is used and the problems with it. ...Home ConnectionsPhone & Ipod Chargers
Do phone chargers and Ipod chargers draw power when not connected to their device? The answer is: it depends on the type of charger. There...Home ConnectionsThe Cost of Standby Power
In the popular press there have been a number of reports along the lines of "households wasting hundred of dollars on standby power". Being an inquisitive...Home ConnectionsVideo Signals & Cables: Composite Video
In this article, we look at composite video signal: what it is, what cables to use, where composite video is used and the problems...
- Calculators
- Calculators
Speakers in Series/Parallel Calculator
Jump Straight to Calculator This calculator for speakers in series/parallel is a combination of my popular Speakers in Parallel Calculator and my recent Speakers in...CalculatorsSpeakers in Series Calculator
Jump Straight to Calculator The calculator below is useful in determining the total impedance of speakers in series. It also calculates how the power is...CalculatorsAmplifier Power, Voltage and Current Calculator
This calculator for amplifier power, voltage and current has little significance but is rather interesting. In the specifications for an amplifier, it might say...CalculatorsDistributed Speaker System SPL Calculator
This distributed speaker system SPL calculator takes the guess work out of which speaker tap to use. It will tell you the correct power...CalculatorsDistributed Speaker System Cable Loss Calculator
Jump Straight to Calculator This calculator will help you determine the cable losses in distributed speaker systems (also known as 100-volt or 70-volt speaker systems)....CalculatorsSpeakers in Parallel Calculator
Jump Straight to Calculator The calculator below is useful in determining the total impedance of speakers in parallel. It also calculates how the power is...CalculatorsDecibel Calculator for Audio (voltage)
If you don't like formulas then you definitely won't like the formula for calculating voltage ratios expressed in decibels. So, use the following calculators to...CalculatorsOhm’s Law Calculator
Here is a simple calculator for power, current, voltage and resistance (actually there are 6 different calculators, use the one relevant to the values...CalculatorsPower Usage Calculator
Knowing the cost of running an electrical appliance is useful, and easy with this power usage calculator. You need to know three things: 1. Cost of...CalculatorsAmplifier, Speaker & SPL Calculator
These calculators will find how loud an amplifier and speaker combination will be, or what size amplifier you need to make a speaker a...CalculatorsLighting Costs Comparision Calculator
Energy efficient LED lamps for lighting are very popular. They certainly cost less to run than conventional lamps. But how much do you really...CalculatorsSpeaker Dispersion Calculator
If you look at the specifications of speaker boxes, you should see something like Dispersion (H x V): 90 x 50. This is stating...CalculatorsIncrease Amplifier Power and Volume Calculator
How much do you need to increase the gain of an amplifier to make it sound twice as loud: 3dB, 6db or 10 dB? This...CalculatorsMaximum Noise (Decibels) and Time Exposure Calculator
Most countries have a stated maximum continuous noise level over a continuous 8 hour period (a working day). This is normally agreed to being...
- Fundamentals
- Fundamentals
Using a Multimeter
This article introduces the basic concepts of multimeters and explains how to use them for basic measurements. Multimeters are one of the most useful...FundamentalsAC and DC
This article looks at some basic concepts and misconceptions of AC and DC electrical circuits. There are no formulas involved, just explanations to some...FundamentalsThe Dreaded Ohms Law
In a previous article we looked at the power formula, and discussed the relationship between power, voltage and current. Having looked at the power...FundamentalsWhat is Electrical Power?
What is electrical power? What is the formula for electrical power? What is watts, volts and amps? This article introduces and illustrates these electrical...
- Home
- Understanding Audio
Understanding Amplifier Power
Amplifier power is probably the most misunderstood and abused parameter of amplifiers and speakers. Yet, it is often the first (and possibly only) parameter...Understanding Speaker Sensitivity
Speaker sensitivity is a measurement of how well a speaker converts the amplifier power to to acoustic energy. In others words, how loud the...How Multiple Speakers Share Power
Often people are wanting to add speakers to their amplifier to increase power. However, in most cases, adding speakers will reduce the power in...Speaker Impedance Changes Amplifier Power
Speaker impedance changes amplifier power output. In fact, your amplifier power could be nearly half or double its capacity - depending on the impedance...Understanding Speaker Impedance
Speaker impedance is often presented as a complex subject and therefore is either ignored or misunderstood. A basic understanding of speaker impedance is not...Understanding Distributed Speaker Systems
Distributed speaker systems are also known as "100 volt line" or "70 volt line" speaker systems. They are used extensively where multiple speakers are...Double amplifier power does not double the volume
This article logically shows the relationship between amplifier power, SPL and loudness. It includes a level difference exercise and a gain calculator.Understanding Acoustic Feedback
Acoustic feedback it that annoying loud continuous tone you get when the sound system is not set up or operated properly. Acoustic feedback can...Understanding Audio Frequency
Every sound we hear is at a certain frequency. When we say someone has a deep voice, we are describing a voice producing low...Understanding Decibels (part 2)
In the first article we saw that a decibel is not a fixed unit, rather, it is a ratio between two levels. A decibel...Understanding Decibels (part 1)
Decibels are widely used in audio, and often misunderstood. These articles give a practical understanding on using decibels in audio work. But first, some...Understanding Audio Levels
A basic understanding of the general audio levels mentioned in this article will help you avoid the common mistakes often made when connecting audio...Understanding Microphone Sensitivity
What do you understand about microphone sensitivity? Of late I have seen a number of people miss-interpret the specifications of microphones, especially when it...
- Home Speakers
Connecting Speakers FAQs
After answering nearly 1000 questions on connecting speakers on this website, some common themes have emerged. Please read the answers to these Frequently Asked Questions...Speaker Selector Switch Simulators
The speaker selector switch simulators presented here demonstrate how speaker selectors deal with speaker impedance and power distribution. Speaker selector switches are used to...Understanding Speaker Impedance
Speaker impedance is often presented as a complex subject and therefore is either ignored or misunderstood. A basic understanding of speaker impedance is not...How to Connect 2 Speakers to 1 Amplifier
In this article we look at how and when to connect 2 speakers in parallel or series. Both the theory and practical points on...Speaker Selector Switch Summary
Speaker selector switches are the most common item bought from Amazon through this website (with over 800 units sold). Therefore I thought it is...Speakers in Parallel Calculator
Jump Straight to Calculator The calculator below is useful in determining the total impedance of speakers in parallel. It also calculates how the power is...How to wire Four Speakers to One Amplifier
In an earlier article we looked at the issues involved in connecting multiple speakers to one amplifier. In this article we look at some...How do I Connect Multiple Speakers to my HiFi Amplifier
I am often asked "How do I connect multiple speakers to my amplifier?" Before I answer, let's define what we mean by the word...
- Home Connections
How do I connect a VCR to a Flat Screen TV
You may still have many video tapes that you like to play but find it hard to connect a VCR to your new flat...Reflections on the TV Remote Control
The recent passing of Eugene Polley, the man known for inventing the remote control, has given me cause to reflect on the development of...How do I connect a PVR to a flat screen TV
PVR is an acronym for Personal Video Recorder. A PVR is the new video cassette recorder (VCR). It works similarly to a VCR, but...Video Signals & Cables: Summary
This is the summary of the previous five articles looking at the different video signals and connectors commonly used in Home AV. Previously we...How do I connect my Flat Screen TV
Connecting your TV is not as hard as it looks. All the sockets on the back and up the side of a flat screen...Video Signals & Cables: HDMI
In this article, we look at HDMI: what it is, where it is used, and what cables are used for HDMI. This is the...Video Signals & Cables: Component Video
In this article, we look at component video signal: what it is, where it is used, and what cables are used for component video....Video Signals & Cables: RGB video
In this article we look at RGB video signal: what it is, where it is used, what cables to use and the problems with...Video Signals & Cables: S-Video
In this article we look at S-video signal: what it is, what cables to use, where S-video is used and the problems with it. ...Phone & Ipod Chargers
Do phone chargers and Ipod chargers draw power when not connected to their device? The answer is: it depends on the type of charger. There...The Cost of Standby Power
In the popular press there have been a number of reports along the lines of "households wasting hundred of dollars on standby power". Being an inquisitive...Video Signals & Cables: Composite Video
In this article, we look at composite video signal: what it is, what cables to use, where composite video is used and the problems...
- Calculators