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Getting ready to build or upgrade a home theater system? Here's a handy guide to dozens of articles and videos to help you choose, install, tweak, and enjoy: Plan Your Room The components you need for home theater Choosing your TV's screen size and placing your TV in a room Choosing a wall-mount...
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Impedance is one of those tech terms whose meaning is just close enough to its general definition to cause some confusion. In everyday language, an impedance is a hindrance — an obstacle to be overcome. Electrically, impedance is a neutral term — part of the physical properties of electrical...
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Jeff and I meet at the Crutchfield Research Bay for the final system tuneup. In the last installment , we set the crossover points and adjusted the gain structure in the Sebring's system. Now, we've borrowed an AudioControl Real Time Analyzer (RTA), a complex little box that's used to measure...
Posted to
Use & Enjoy Your A/V Gear
by
Charlie
on
Wed, May 27 2009
Filed under:
Filed under: subwoofer, EQ, crossover, car stereo, car audio, amplifier, car sound, car speakers, CD player, In-dash receiver, speakers, receiver, music system, 8" subwoofer, convertible, amps, amplifiers, equalizer, car subwoofer, Boston Acoustics, gain control, speaker systems, Audio Control, Sebring, AudioControl, Chrysler, Eclipse
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The big day has arrived. In the first installment , we planned out the system for my convertible. Now we'll take a long look at the installation process. A system of this magnitude is completely out of my league, so I turn to Ben and Wayne, two ace installers who also maintain Crutchfield's car...
Posted to
Use & Enjoy Your A/V Gear
by
Charlie
on
Mon, May 11 2009
Filed under:
Filed under: car audio, amplifier, gain, Crutchfield, speakers, 8" subwoofer, convertible, Dynamat, equalizer, Boston Acoustics, Sebring, AudioControl, Chrysler, Eclipse, subwoofers
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In my recent spring cleaning posts, I talked about cleaning your TV , components , and cables — but keeping your speakers clean is just as important. Tip #4: Cleaning your speakers Cleaning speakers can be puzzling, because there are so many different parts to clean. On a typical bookshelf speaker, you...
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Our new Klipsch® Reference Series Speaker video features Chris and Steve discussing the line. Steve regularly hosts audiophile listening session at his home, and the Klipsch RB-61 speakers were used at a session held just a few days before this video shoot. Chris and Steve share their impressions of...
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There are many ways to improve the sound of your system. And some of them don't require any additional expense. In this third installment of our better home audio series, we present the simple concept of optimal speaker placement. Place your speakers carefully Your speakers are the "voice" of your system...
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Sometimes, it’s hard not to fall prey to "gear lust" – wanting the newest, coolest, niftiest version of every product that comes our way. And I have to say, for the most part, I’ve been good. I saved my tax refund, rather than buying that SLR I saw in training. I’ve managed not to upgrade my TV or receiver...
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I took a vacation with my family in Maine recently, where our main mode of transportation was a 19-foot center-console boat with room for six. Earlier in the year, in a conversation with my father, I learned that he and my mother were occasionally toting a small battery-powered radio out on the water...
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I was over at Steve’s place the other day and sweet smokin’ sassafras, his system was sounding better than ever! As you may or may not know, Steve is Crutchfield’s long-time TV guru/writer. More importantly, he's also an audiophile and a music lover (as you can probably tell from Steve's review of the...
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In my last post , I talked about a tool that simplifies the process of stripping wire. Once the wire’s prepped for connection, the question becomes, “Now what?” There are many different connection options, each with advantages and disadvantages. Of course you can just connect bare wire into the speaker...
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1) I don't need a subwoofer because I never listen to loud music, just classical and jazz. Subwoofers go great with heavy metal, rap, and other types of high-impact music, but they're not just for people who like to turn it up. In fact, a well-tuned subwoofer adds depth and richness to any type of music...
Posted to
Use & Enjoy Your A/V Gear
by
Charlie
on
Mon, Apr 28 2008
Filed under:
Filed under: bass, subwoofer, head unit, car stereo, car audio, amplifier, car sound, car speakers, Bluetooth, satellite radio, antenna, installation, component speakers, RMS power, speakers, factory radio, speaker, receiver, iPod adapter, factory stereo, kick panel, factory system expanders, factory sound processors, 8" subwoofer, tweeters, 6-1/2" subwoofer, convertible, enclosures, factory system, shallow-mount, 4-way aspeakers
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In my last post , I discussed the concept of bi-wiring. Although bi-wiring doesn’t increase the amount of power going to a pair of speakers many folks I’ve spoken with felt there’s a noticeable improvement in sound quality. That brings us to the subject of bi-amping . If you’ve purchased a seven-channel...
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“There is no physical reason why bi-wiring should improve a speaker’s sound.” I’ve heard this sentiment repeated over the years by some very reputable sources. So why do many respected manufacturers continue to build speakers with two separate sets of input terminals explicitly for that purpose (that...
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I've become something of an ambassador for surround sound. Having enjoyed it for four years now, I simply can't let any of my friends or family upgrade their TV without also upgrading their sound. And invariably, when I'm halfway through extolling the virtues of multichannel sound, how it makes movies...