Audio Guide For Dummies

[irfanali81]

SQ= sound quality( you can feel the natural sound, like DNSE digital natural sound engine)
SPL= Sound pressure level (You will feel pressure of bass from subs)
SQL= SQ= sound quality level.

[mughal90]

Can someone plz explain in detail how to make a system active and what are the advantages ???

Thanx

[Talhadon]

What is the difference between active setup and passive setup...:S

Pros please shed light on it...!

[madhouse12]

What is the difference between active setup and passive setup...:S

Pros please shed light on it...!

by definition, if the crossover is before the amplifier then its an active setup and if the crossover is after the amp then its a passive setup.

what a crossover does is it separates the music frequencies into different bands so that the low frequencies go to the sub, the mids go to the mids and the highs to highs.

component speakers like pioneer 1720 come with a passive crossover. it takes an amplified full range signal from the amp and separates it so that the tweeter gets the high frequencies and the woofer get the mid freqs. and since the crossover is after amplifier, it makes it a passive crossover.

pres like 8650 are "active capable". this means that the signal is processed by the processor inside the pre and u get a separate signal for tweets and mids.

another thing separating active and passive is that u can choose the crossover point and slope on an active system and in a passive system they are (mostly) fixed

[Talhadon]

by definition, if the crossover is before the amplifier then its an active setup and if the crossover is after the amp then its a passive setup.

what a crossover does is it separates the music frequencies into different bands so that the low frequencies go to the sub, the mids go to the mids and the highs to highs.

component speakers like pioneer 1720 come with a passive crossover. it takes an amplified full range signal from the amp and separates it so that the tweeter gets the high frequencies and the woofer get the mid freqs. and since the crossover is after amplifier, it makes it a passive crossover.

pres like 8650 are "active capable". this means that the signal is processed by the processor inside the pre and u get a separate signal for tweets and mids.

another thing separating active and passive is that u can choose the crossover point and slope on an active system and in a passive system they are (mostly) fixed

Which crossover Polk DB comps got...??
Its up to on comps to whether its crossover runs on passive or on active...right ??

[DrShaggy]

Which crossover Polk DB comps got...??
Its up to on comps to whether its crossover runs on passive or on active...right ??

any set of components can be run active or passive, just as maddy said, a crossover before amplification = active, and after the amplification = passive

[Talhadon]

any set of components can be run active or passive, just as maddy said, a crossover before amplification = active, and after the amplification = passive

Thanks,
Docteuir...

[mughal90]

So if components have passive crossover how to connect it before the amp ??

[ahsanonline]

for active setup of components, you'd have to ditch it's physical xover, and get a headunit/dsp giving out separate signals to separate amp channels for both tweeter and midbass - both are then directly connect to the amp's respective channels as separate speakers are normally done.

[mughal90]

So for my system how to make it active ???
HU 4350
focal solid 4 amp
focal access components & coaxial

[ahsanonline]

I dont think your headunit is active capable. Get a dsp eg. JBL MS-8. Or else you'd need to change Headunit.

You cant do it with current setup alone.

[mughal90]

Oh I c, so basically wt is d difference in sound quality in active n passive?

[Talhadon]

So if components have passive crossover how to connect it before the amp ??

Good question

[DrShaggy]

So if components have passive crossover how to connect it before the amp ??

You can get a full fledge dsp(ms8 etc) to do that or a headunit that is active capable (p90/99 for instance), that will give you a freedom of custom crossover frequencies and slopes depending on your install plus the ability to EQ the frequency response and time align the drivers. If you dont want to go either way, then get an electronic external active crossover, they are much cheaper but only offer a limited number of frequencies and slopes, no eq no time alignment. They range from 2-way crossovers to 3-4-way crossovers.

The advantages are enormous. Active > passive any day of the week! In passive setups, the amp amplifies the un needed frequencies (which the passive crossover will eventually filter out) wasting amplifier power and headroom = bad effect on dynamics. Plus in passive setup, (lets take an example of a 2-way component), since the tweeter and the midbass both are on the single channel, the amp's channel power gets divided between them, so the midbass never really gets full potential power. And since both of them are on the same channel, the time alignment is never truly achieved since the delay calculated for the midbass also effects the tweeter.

Now, in active setups, only the target and to be used frequencies are amplified, both drivers, since they are on their own separate channel, get full power the particular amp offers, tweeter and midbass level can be precisely controlled (no owerpowering tweeter and no weak midbass) and finally, the biggest advantage IMO is the perfect time
Alignment applied to the drivers based on their relative distances independently.

For further information, refer to google. And remeber, active > passive, anytime, anywhere,every install...

[mughal90]

Thanx a lot Sir for the comprehensive explanation. So my next step will be MS-8 inshallah I have found a guy who can install n tune it for me so just matter of getting my hands on it.

[DrShaggy]

Thanx a lot Sir for the comprehensive explanation. So my next step will be MS-8 inshallah I have found a guy who can install n tune it for me so just matter of getting my hands on it.

You are welcome sir. The coolest thing about Ms8 is that just about anyone can tune it Good luck.

[devilz_apprentice]

I am looking to get a very basic to start off with, but i have a few questions regarding the basic terminologies of the audio systems. The system that i have proposed is:
Pre: Pioneer 2320UB (1-RCA)
Amp: Pioneer GM-3500T (2-channel, 400W max, and 60W nominal)
Speakers: Pioneer A6914i(550W max and 80W nominal) or A6984s (500W max and 80W nominal).

Now my queries are:
1. What is the purpose of RCA?
2. I understand that a Pre normally provides 22W rms to the speakers, so is this why we need an AMP to provide 60W rms to the speakers?
3. If above is true then, is 60W rms sufficient to power speakers requiring 80W rms?
4. Is the nominal wattage same as rms wattage value?
5. What is the terminology behind maximum output of the speakers? If they normally require 80W, then what's the advantage of having 600W max speakers instead of 400W max speakers?
6. What is the difference between 2ohm. and 4 ohm. configuration? Which will right in my case?

Please note, I do not intend to use sub-woofer. All i need is an adequate system which runs good.
I am new to this, so thorough and easy to understand details on the queries and the system, will be deeply appreciated.

[Bad_Cheetah]

I am looking to get a very basic to start off with, but i have a few questions regarding the basic terminologies of the audio systems. The system that i have proposed is:
Pre: Pioneer 2320UB (1-RCA)
Amp: Pioneer GM-3500T (2-channel, 400W max, and 60W nominal)
Speakers: Pioneer A6914i(550W max and 80W nominal) or A6984s (500W max and 80W nominal).

Now my queries are:
1. What is the purpose of RCA?
2. I understand that a Pre normally provides 22W rms to the speakers, so is this why we need an AMP to provide 60W rms to the speakers?
3. If above is true then, is 60W rms sufficient to power speakers requiring 80W rms?
4. Is the nominal wattage same as rms wattage value?
5. What is the terminology behind maximum output of the speakers? If they normally require 80W, then what's the advantage of having 600W max speakers instead of 400W max speakers?
6. What is the difference between 2ohm. and 4 ohm. configuration? Which will right in my case?

Please note, I do not intend to use sub-woofer. All i need is an adequate system which runs good.
I am new to this, so thorough and easy to understand details on the queries and the system, will be deeply appreciated.

The purpose of RCA is to take your signal from your HU and transfer it to your DSP or Amplifier.

Yes this holds true, to get good quality sound we need ample power, so that if we increase the volume of our HU the signal doesnt start to clip or get disturbed in any way, therefore we use an amplifier to enhance the signal so that we do not compromise on the signal's quality being fed to the speakers.

The gains on the amp should be matched with the volts on the HU, so that if we are using the volume control on the HU at say 50%, the amps are amplifing the signal by exactly 50%, giving 50% of the rated power.

60watts rms is enough to run the speakers fine, usually for a component set the rated power of the amp should be double than that of the speaker set because although the tweeters do not draw too much power, the woofers/mids draw them more to play lower frequencies.

But 60watts is fine too, you just need to set the gains correctly.

Yup nominal and rms are one in the same thing.

The maximum thingy is only for a short period of time, rms is what your speakers need continuosly, 400 or 600 watts is what it might need at say one instance only to play a certain frequency band.

I do not have enough grip on the load configuration, let maddy bhai or shahid bhai or nauman bhai take on this one.

[devilz_apprentice]

Thanx for the detailed response, Yawar Bhaiyya! Appreciate it! What is ur take on the proposed system? And any recommendations on where to get the system in LHR? I need someone with an adequate installation experience

[Bad_Cheetah]

Faizan bhai, i would say you get a component set instead of rear speakers, the sound quality and dynamics are well balanced on a component set.

Do you want it for your city or alto?