Home-theater upgrade
October 10, 2002
I have preamp-out jacks on my receiver. These are for sub,
center, and surrounds (left and right). I would like to upgrade by connecting a power
amplifier for my front speakers. Can I do that?
Ivo Todorov
Although you don't mention it, I'm sure you have outputs
for your mains (left and right) too. You would connect the new amplifier to the main
preamp outputs, thereby letting the receiver continue driving the rest of the system. The
added power amplifier will likely improve the sound quality of your front stereo pair. By
taking the main speaker load off of the receiver, it will sound better too, so you have a
two-fold improvement. This is a common upgrade, and a wise one too.
Preamp question
October 9, 2002
Can a Yamaha preamp drive a pair of small speakers? I have
one my father gave to me and I don't think I need a lot of power. Thanks for your advice.
Roger Kreh
No. You need a power amplifier to drive a pair of
speakers. The preamp will control the volume, input switching, and perhaps tone controls.
The preamp will connect to the power amplifier (and your source -- CD, DVD, etc.), then
the power amp to the speakers.
Full-range speaker versus sub/sat system
October 7, 2002
If you could choose between a full-range loudspeaker and a
subwoofer/satellite system, which would you choose and why?
Noak Janis
If space were not a consideration, I'd most certainly
choose a full-range speaker. The integration between the bass frequencies and the midrange
and treble has been perfected (hopefully!) by the manufacturer. A sub/sat system is most
valuable when space is at a premium but the listener still wants deep bass. In this
instance, the small satellite speakers provide easier placement, and the subwoofer can be
tucked away so that is doesn't intrude into the room. The down side is that many times the
subwoofer sounds "disconnected" from the satellites -- because it is! With
enough tinkering, though, to achieve proper blending, great sound can still be had.
So, to sum up, if you can house them without space
constraints, go with the full-range speaker. But don't despair if you can't, because with
a little work and experimentation you can still have great sound with a
subwoofer/satellite system.
Blown Driver?
October 3, 2002
I think I may have a problem with my subwoofer. The driver
is making rubbing sounds and crackling a bit when I play any music with bass frequencies
present. Is it possible that the woofer is somehow out of adjustment? Can it be fixed or
aligned?
John Novak
I think what you may have is a blown driver. To be more
specific, a burned voice coil is likely what is causing the noise. I'd contact the
manufacturer and ask them, but you will probably have to replace the driver in question.
Luckily this is usually a fairly simple operation and can be done in the field.
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