f $ i § ry f ; i * y ot oP SACRO anh oF Lara 2 AREY RETEST NP BOT A SEN VE I BFR ESTERS ALE RETIREE RETOLD INTER Dt TAN OCT OPEL LA LELE, 2 EVEN THOUGH few things are as enjoyable as listening to music in the comfort of your home, many people may be shortchanging themselves when it comes to get- ting the most out of their sound systems. “What you hear depends on the quality of your equipment,’’ says Thomas Friel, vice-president of the Electronics ‘Industries Associa- tion/Consumers Electronics Group. “But your home itself also has a tremendous effect on your system’s sound and, with a few slight improvements, you can create a concert hall-quality listen- ing room in your own home.”’ Before remodelling, first know your system’s potential — and limitations, says Friel. And, if purchasing new equipment, he suggests buying components with enough power to fill your listening room. Beyond having the right equip- ment, there are several simple steps that can make any system sound better and ensure that you get the best possible performance from your equipment. To maximize your home audio equipment centre, he suggests: @ Decide where you will listen to your system. Think of your music room’s ideal furniture arrangement and create your system around it, not vice versa. Once you have chosen the loca- tion of your sound stage, arrange your components to accommodate it. Room shape, floor and wall surfaces, and furnishings will af- fect the music you hear. ® Carefully plan your speaker placement. Speakers create the sound you hear and should be placed within ‘“‘line of sight,’’ cross-angled toward the listening area. ' If furniture blocks the line to your ear,. consider moving it. While low frequencies can bypass furniture, high frequencies cannot. ® Test the speakers in various locations. To find the right spot for your speakers, try them at sev- eral locations and elevations, listening to a track of well-known music and checking for imaging, or the illusion that instruments are playing from different parts of the room. If your speakers sound better off the floor — which most do — in- vest in a pair of studio speaker stands or mount them on a wall/ ceiling brace. Never place speakers facing each other from opposite sides of the room. © Keep your speakers away from room surfaces. The closer speakers are to solid surfaces, such as floors, ceilings and walls, the more bass you’ ll hear. In most cases, an instruction manual will prescribe their right distance from solid surfaces. As-a rule of thumb, speakers should be placed no closer than 1% metres and no wider than four metres apart. Unless they are specifically designed, they shouldn’t be placed any higher than two to 2% metres off the floor, e Use fabrics to dampen an unusually bright room. Draperies and carpeting absorb and deaden sound, which is especially impor- tant in rooms with tiled floors, or other ‘bright’ surfaces. For example, a curtain opposite the speakers will cut sonic reflec- tions and provide the right amount of acoustic dampening. ® Avoid stacking components. Unless they are designed to fit into PRESENTS: THE ANSWER TO ALL YOUR GIFT PUZZLES! THE YAMAHA PSS 140 PORTABLE MUSIC STATION A MSL$199.00 fa WARD PRICE ¢ 100 sounds © 3 full octaves e drum pads @ 10 rhythms * auto bass/chord THE YAMAHA DSR-500 PORTABLE MUSIC STATION FULL SIZED KEYS AT A SMALL-SIZED PRICE! * 80 sounds © 14 rhythms 04 octave keyboard * MIO * voice programming WARD —_ M.S.L. $599.00 MUCH tess VMAS THE CADILLAC OF PORTABLE KEYBOARDS! THE YAMAHA PSR-S0 PORTABLE MUSIC STATION © 61 full size keys © M.1.D.I. - add new sounds ® stereo * professional sound e built-in recorder KS rOr an integrated rack system, it is generally not a good idea to stack components, In addition to excess heat buildup, equipment often gives off magnetic fields that can damage tapes and even other components. Protect your investment with wall shelves, stands or special cab- inets, ® Use as little wiring as possible when assembling your system. Ex- cess wiring is unattractive and weakens the signals that reach your speakers, Invest in heavy gauge cables, and use only as much as you need to connect your components. © Make the right connections. Make sure all cables are secure. Because poor connections weaken the signals that produce your system’s music, you may wish to clean the plugs with a specially designed solvent. ‘ © Make sure your equipment is ventilated. When placing your equipment in a bookshelf, make sure that ventilation holes are not obstructed. Reducing the airflow can lead _ your equipment to overheat and burn out, © If plans call for a new addi- tion, consider wiring your walls for future expansion. It is easier to wire a home for sound during con- struction than it is to retrofit an existing room. A specialist from an audio retail store can help you lay’ out your music room and explain the best locations for your audio cable ports. ‘Finally, before rebuilding your home centre, it is important to read — or reread — your compo- nents’ instruction manuals,’”’ Friel says. ‘These manuals give you solid 19 - Wednesday, October 26, 1988 - North Shore News a i I advice on the best placement of your equipment. 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