Music centre

The term stereo, hi- fi system or plain (audio ) system designated devices for listening to music in the home, typically for apartments or party rooms. More precisely has a stereo as opposed to mono system at least two channels, which emit different audio signals to some extent. Thus, a spatial impression is created. For larger rooms such as halls or nightclubs, as well as for concerts and other events using professional sound systems.

History

Forerunner of the stereos were the radiograms of the 1950s, by which device combinations were understood from disk player, radio and possibly also home tape recorder and a television in a common housing, but usually only with monophonic, ie single-channel sound. Listening in stereo, ie two-channel records were sold since 1958, the radio station will broadcast in West Germany since 1963 stereophonic broadcasts from. Since the same time also stereo -capable disc player, radio receiver and tape recorders are available. From stereos in the modern sense ( single or combination units with separate stand-up speakers ) you can speak from the first half of the 1960s. In the late 1960s and the 1970s, compact plants were very common in the form of top loaders. They were operated from above, were flat and wide, usually had a cover made of Plexiglas and often a stand. They usually included turntables, radio receiver and amplifier, often as a cassette deck. From the 1980s, they were replaced by hi-fi towers from individual components.

In the 1970 quadraphonic systems came up with four channels, but could not prevail on the market.

Until the 1980s, stereos were technical reasons so large that they were their own (sometimes decorative ) pieces of furniture at the same time. They were also relatively expensive, so that one's stereo system was one of the first major acquisitions in the lives of many teenagers and a status symbol represented. At the time, a typical investment from a record player, an FM radio receiver, an amplifier, a cassette deck ( rare: tape recorder ) and a pair of speakers. CD player came in the early 1980s on the market and from approximately the middle of the decade had a rapid spread. Since VCRs and televisions were stereo capability, they are increasingly interconnected with hi-fi systems, which later merged with the proliferation of digital home theater systems from about the 2000s again increased.

Since the 1990s, other (mostly digital ) recordings and reception formats came in quick succession on the market, their playback devices were integrated into existing stereos. However, most formats could not compete on the market (such as digital satellite radio and the Digital Compact Cassette) or disappeared after moderate success quickly, such as MiniDisc and DAT. In many cases, the personal computer ( PC) thanks to his now to hi-fi audio capabilities has been integrated into existing systems. This development was mainly driven by the triumph of the MP3 format from the early 2000s.

Since the proliferation of home theater systems ( 5.1 surround sound systems mostly) play with more than two channels play an increasing role. Therefore, the term stereo, although common in colloquial language for multi-channel systems, often actually no longer applicable.

Components

A stereo system covers the entire signal chain of sound, consisting of at least one source, an amplifier and a loudspeaker component:

Source components are responsible for the reading of the ( analog or digital ) audio signal.

• For digital sources such as CD or DVD players, MP3 players, digital audio tape and digital tuners, the analog signal must be restored by means of a digital-to- analog converter. This can be integrated in the components or as a standalone component.
• Analog sources include turntables, analog tuner and (now rare ) Cassette and tape recorders.

Amplifier components amplify the analog signal of the source device and can change it if necessary. In addition to integrated amplifiers, there are also pre-amplifier and power amplifier on separate devices. There are also receivers, a combination of amplifier and tuner (receiver). It is also possible to adjust equalizer as by the sound to your personal taste or the Hörraumakustik.

The speaker components are responsible for converting the electrical signal into sound. Here are - depending on the number of channels - multiple speakers needed.

• Most hi-fi speakers are currently passive, so not have their own power stages and need for external amplifier components ( " amps " ) are operated.
• Powered speakers have an active crossover already splits the audio signal to line level in the frequency ranges required for the individual speakers. The necessary Endverstärkerkomponenten and sometimes even digital -to-analog converters are already integrated active speakers. Falsely equipped with amplifiers speakers are often where the breakdown of the different frequency ranges in the area behind the power amplifier outputs is performed called active speakers.

• Studio speakers set due to their fundamentally constructive technical superiority in the field of audio engineering by from about 1967.

• Subwoofers are speakers that specifically lower frequencies are designed for playback.
• Instead of the speakers for headphones can be used.

In addition to these main components also have the ingredients, connecting cables, terminal blocks, power supplies, active tone filter housing and mounting elements influence on the quality of the playback.

Species

Hi- Fi

High fidelity or hi-fi dismissed the 1960s indicate that a device (such b. Amplifier ) fulfilled requirements that were defined in DIN 45500. These requirements are met today virtually all high-quality electronic devices; the norm has thus lost its function and was replaced in the 1990s by the European standard, which specifies only the measurement method.

Today, the term Hi- Fi rarely includes a quality used in connection with stereos. An existing premium components stereo system is also called high-end system. The term "State of the Art" is rarely used in Hi- Fi range.

High-end

In many cases, the term Hi- Fi will be able to play so well with the conviction that music exactly how it was created from performers and recorded by the sound engineer, joined. Quite a few " Audiophile " Search for decades with frequent exchange of single components according to a hi -fi system that meets these requirements ( partially connected to personal tonal preferences ) and invest large sums of money for a source device (such as CD players, turntables ) amplifiers, speakers and accessories ( eg cable ). Five-digit euro amounts for individual components are not uncommon. For this range of Hi- Fi, the term high-end has been established.

In the high-end scene it often comes to philosophical debates about what makes a good investment or borrowing because differ mostly self- sonic Voters of hi- fi equipment, sometimes very significantly. In general, technical readings are within the high-end scene found to be insufficient to describe the " musicality " of a plant, but this is now scientifically refuted. Frequently, but only a small fraction of the necessary measurement values ​​is observed or published, which would be necessary for a truly meaningful sound statement of a device component. Moreover, in the high-end industry no uniform measurement standards, as they have been defined, for example for broadcasting technical equipment of the public service broadcasters from the Institute of Radio Technology, adopted. But the exact method of measurement, the reference level and the measurement procedure is always necessary for the generation of meaningful readings. Cause of subjectively slightly different tonal assessments, both in the non-linearity of human hearing as are also in psycho- acoustic effects, and the enormous influence of acoustic listening room. The Institute of Radio Technology has undertaken to this effect in recent decades partly extensive listening tests, which measured values ​​must not exceed that limit in order for the audio components located in the signal eigenklanglich not appear. Move audio components above these limits, this change voices the reproduced audio signal and thus create your own any " sound ". Above this limit, the sound experience is thus a purely personal and subjective matter of taste. Such reproduction is referred to as " not neutral". Under - subjectively perceived - musicality can be summarized as properties tonal richness, rhythm, dynamics, etc.. The aesthetic design of this very sound technical characteristics responsible for the sound recording already participating sound engineers, musicians and engineers and is deliberately designed.

A substantial proportion of high-end trailer preferably tube amp and the record which he the newer techniques (especially those introduced by the CD digital technology ) is considered to be superior in some respects. The measured values ​​of many of the typical case for use next tube amp and record player can, however, already clearly audible sound deviations close. The view that these techniques are superior to transistor amplifiers and CD players, is also now refuted by measurement. In the accessories you try by adding items such as expensive cable made ​​of solid silver, bi-wiring, bi-amping, line filter and various other components to improve the sound of the playback chain. The cause of audible sound differences often lies in the watered-down or eliminated by tuning measures electrical / physical " defects " of the respective next used individual components. Some measures, however, are controversial even within the scene and are often called "Voodoo". Such debates are often very emotional. Once a year, a high-end trade show held in Munich; another in Zurich.