Pin 1 Problem?

What is the “pin 1 problem”? How do you fix it if your gear has it?

The Pin 1 problem is when pin 1 (or sleeve) of a balanced input or output on a given device is not connected to chassis ground. Instead the pin 1 conductor is tied to the signal ground. The best way around this is to tie the pin 1 conductor directly to a point on the chassis that you know is grounded. If you’re dealing with a XLR or a TRS ¼” connector it’s best if you have a test cable with alligator clips that you can insert into the jack and test for problems.

Phase vs. Polarity

What is the difference between phase and polarity?

Simply put phase represents the relationship in time between any two or more frequencies. This range could be anywhere from 1 degree out of phase to 179 degrees out of phase. Polarity on the other hand is either correct polarity or reverse polarity. You can be “in” or 180 degrees out, period.

Gold Plated Connectors – Fact or Fiction?

Why do manufacturers always boast about gold plated connectors?

Gold offers superior resistance to corrosion. Contrary to popular belief silver is actually a superior conductor to gold but it does not offer the same level of corrosion protection. Gold is however no slouch when it comes to conductive metals. It is second only to silver.

Why Do Speaker Prices Vary So Much?

Why is there such a huge price range in speakers?

Explaining the gross price differences in speakers in similar to that of today’s automobiles. Some of the price variation is due to the difference is raw materials. The quality of wood, drivers, wiring, crossover components and front baffle materials. Sometimes it’s relative to the craftsmanship invested in the cabinetry itself. A poorly designed or poorly assembled cabinet will resonate coloring the music among other things like causing poor bass response. This is why you see some speakers with exotic front baffles made of marble, concrete or multiple layers of hardwood. A lot of it has to do with the amount of

The Mysterious Crossover

What does a crossover do and how does it do it?

Crossovers determine which frequencies go to which drivers. This is what sends the “highs” to the tweeter and the “lows” to the woofer. A crossover can determine and affect several other factors as well. Such as the phase relationship between drivers and the spatial alignment better known as “time alignment” which is a copyrighted term. A crossover can be as simple as one filter or several filters acting together as one component. You will hear terms such as low pass filter, high pass filter and band pass filter. The crossover network is made up of various components such as capacitors, coils and resistors. Capacitors are used to filter out low frequency information in tweeters and midrange drivers. Coils, otherwise known as chokes, are used to eliminate high frequencies from woofers and some midrange drives.

Determining X-over Freq. of Passive X-over

How do you determine the crossover frequency of a speaker with a passive crossover if you do not have the manufacturers specifications?

To perform this test we will need a Pink Noise generator and a RTA. This will also require a little bit of manual labor on your part but it’s rather simple. I’m going to assume that this cabinet does not allow you to bi-amp it meaning that we have no external access to the two sections of the crossover. First disconnect the speaker from any power amplifiers then let’s get into the cabinet shall we. Every speaker is different when it comes to construction of the cabinet so the method of entry will vary depending on the make and model of your particular speaker. The majority of speakers are assembled using

Setting up Crossovers

How do you determine where to set the crossover frequencies in a multi-cabinet system?

The obvious answer here is to refer to the manufacturers specifications. So we will assume these aren’t available. Where this gets tricky is when you’re dealing with cabinets that are bi-ampable and have a passive crossover as well. For now though let’s assume we’re dealing with a standard three way system consisting of a subwoofer, mid and high cabinets. Now to do this correctly would require far more explanation than I can provide here. So the method we will discuss will be nothing more than a means of finding a starting point to get your system up and running so that you can fine tune it properly. To do this you will need a tone generator with selectable frequency output and a RTA. The easiest way to do this

Bi-Amped Speakers

Explain bi-ampable speakers.

A speaker that gives you the option to bi-amplify allows you to amplify the “high” and “low” section of the speaker separately. The signal still passes through the crossover filters but you are able to adjust the amplitude of the “high” and “low” sections independently. Essentially this gives you control of the mix between the “high” (tweeter) and “low” (woofer) output. To get more technical this also allows for further dynamic headroom in you amplifiers because they are producing a smaller portion of the over-all frequency range. Plus your amps now have doubled the amount of available current supplied to the speaker greatly enhancing what is known as the “damping factor” which is discussed in greater detail elsewhere in the site.

Active or Passive Subwoofer?

What is the difference between passive and active subwoofers?

Active speakers get lots of exercise and passive ones tend to watch a lot of TV. Ready for the truth now? Passive and active essentially refers to whether or not a subwoofer (or any speaker for that matter) is self-amplified or not. So an active subwoofer will have a built in power amplifier that requires AC power just like any other piece of electronic gear in your system. The built in amplifier is typically accompanied by a variable crossover or fixed high pass filters for other speakers. These other speakers would be your main left and right speakers or possibly even all five left, center, right and rear speakers. The variable crossover will determine which frequencies the subwoofer will reproduce. If you set the crossover

Which Component to Buy First?

What component or components should I buy first when putting together a sound system or home theater?

Always start with your speakers!!! This applies to any sound system pro, home, car, etc. Until you know what speakers you are dealing with it is impossible to determine what kind of power requirements you will need in an amplifier or receiver. The quality of your speakers will also help determine what caliber of CD player you purchase, your DVD player and any other source in you system that is upstream from your speakers. There is no sense in purchasing a $2k CD player if you can only afford an $800 pair of speakers. Once you have picked out speakers that you like you can then audition any other components you may purchase on those very same speakers. This will give you the most accurate representation of what you system will really sound like.