Audio Separates

Guide to Audio Separates

Why Choose Separates?

Nothing is better in terms of sound quality than an audio system made up of separate components. Each of these components is the best piece of equipment for the task. You can choose the right tuner, pre-amp, amplifier or other component for your needs. With a traditional receiver all of the major functions are carried out in one unit, but a traditional receiver cannot get close to the sound quality created by separate components.

Components of an Audio Separates System

The two main components of a separate system are the pre-amplifier (preamp) and the amplifier. You add other options such as DVD players, radio tuners, CD players etc. to these to create a high quality customised audio system

Audio Separates buyer considerations

Power

Power and loudness are often believed to go hand in hand, and it's true, but power is still important even if you don't like your music loud. A more powerful amp will give better quality of sound and dynamics even at low volumes. You should look for amps that output 100 watts per channel or more. You can also choose to have one amplifier to power all of your speakers, or you may want to have one amp for each speaker, or even a combination of both.

Inputs

Inputs are a very important factor when choosing a system. You need to consider what components you have and also what components you may add at a later date. You may want to connect a CD player, TV, Video Recorder or DVD player and with many more audio-visual products coming on the market, you need to ensure that the pre-amp you choose has sufficient inputs for your present and future needs. Some makes of pre-amps are upgradeable and let you add further inputs later on.

Dolby Digital Surround Sound

This six channel surround sound format has 2 front channels, 2 rear channels, a centre channel and a subwoofer. This creates a realistic surround audio atmosphere for music and movies. A pre-amplifier that can decode a surround sound signal must have an amplifier with the same number of channels too.

Multi-Room Facility

Sometimes you may want to listen to music in more than one room. A multi room system allows this - you can set up speakers in different rooms, with these speakers connected to your audio system. You can also listen to different sources in different rooms. This is called multi-source. For example, one person could be watching a DVD in surround sound in one room, while someone else listens to an audio CD in another.

Tuner Sensitivity and Selectivity

A tuner's performance can be measured by its sensitivity and selectivity, but it isn't always a requirement to have a higher value for these. It often depends on how good a signal is in your area. Where signals are weak you would probably benefit from a tuner with a higher sensitivity. In more urban settings, selectivity is often more important because there may be a large number of radio stations. Selectivity determines how well the tuner can isolate a radio station, without interference from others.

Upgradeability

Some systems can be upgraded by means of update cards - this means that systems can be upgraded as technology advances