Sound equipment is a hardware device whose main function is sound reproduction, processing and amplification, whose task is to provide quality sound, taking into account the requirements of a particular room.
Quality sounding means reproduction of sound in a sufficient frequency range and at an optimal volume, avoiding echo and extraneous noise, the sound must be equally audible in all points of the room where people are expected to be. Obviously, to achieve these goals it is necessary to choose and adjust audio equipment depending on the purpose of the room.
The application range of sound equipment is very wide and varies from creating a background sound in cafes, bars and restaurants to preparing the acoustic equipment for the stage of a mass concert, from the equipment of a modern cinema for several hundred spectators to a cozy home cinema, which, however, is not inferior to the first one in sound quality.
The task of loudspeakers is to convert electrical signals into acoustic sound waves, i.e. simply to reproduce sound. Loudspeakers vary in the type of connection and depending on how the signal is transmitted, they can be divided into:
Transformer
Low impedance
Loudspeakers are subdivided according to their constructional design:
Enclosure
Built-in
According to the purpose of acoustic systems are divided into
Concert
Landscape
Computer
Studio
For Home Theater
Automotive
Public adress system
Power Amplifier
A power amplifier is responsible for amplifying the sound signal to the desired volume. Amplifiers are differentiated by gain class and output power. The differences lie in the principle of the amplifying stages of the device and the internal circuitry. Recently, class D (Digital) amplifiers have become most common. They are characterized by high efficiency, compact size and high output power with minimal heat generation. According to the constructive performance amplifiers are divided into rack-mounted and desktop amplifiers. Desktop amplifiers are usually made for home use (Hi-fi).
Modern preamplifiers are used to switch and process the input audio signal from connected audio sources (dvd, cd, bluray player, media player, audio conferencing system, etc.) to a single line level. Also, the most important function of a preamplifier is the ability to adjust the volume. A distinction is made between preamplifiers according to their intended use. Depending on the purpose of the preamplifier, its name also changes. In residential applications it is referred to as a “receiver”, in concert applications as a “mixer” and in the professional segment as a “matrix switcher”. Depending on the type of preamplifier, its functionality also changes. Simply put, the preamplifier “prepares” the intermediate audio signal for transmission to an amplification system, to one or more final power amplifiers.
Conference systems (discussion systems, congress systems) – is a complex of equipment, consisting of a central unit and a set of specialized microphones, which is designed to amplify the speech of participants at the event.
Why a system and how it differs from the usual set of vocal microphones? It’s all very simple.
First, the microphones are digital, connected in series with each other, transmitting information to the central unit.
Secondly, thanks to the digital transmission, they have much more functionality, such as voting, priority queuing, power sharing between the delegate and the chairman, and much more.
And thirdly, they are easy to integrate and can be part of a larger system, receiving and giving digital commands to a common path.
“For example, with such digital commands, you can implement automatic auto-targeting of cameras to the speaking delegate during a video call, which cannot be implemented with conventional analog microphones.”
Microphones
Devices that capture sound and send it as a signal to a preamplifier for loudspeaker playback. Microphones can be wired or wireless, with the latter being the predominant option today. Microphones are also divided into directional and non-directional, which is determined by the design of the microphone’s sound pickup system.
Non-directional (or omni-directional) microphones are sensitive to sound in all directions. They can be used, for example, at a round table during a conference.
Bidirectional microphones “catch” sound from the front and back along the axis of the microphone. Unidirectional microphones, such as cardioid, hypercardioid and others, capture sound primarily from one direction.