Setting Proper System Gain for Optimized Audio Performance
Are You Driving Your Audio System in the "Wrong Gear"?
A race car produces peak power when the transmission is in the proper gear. Likewise, an audio system produces peak performance when each component is running at an optimum signal level. We can put a race car on a dynamometer and measure the power that is delivered to the wheels. We can also measure the loss of power that comes from driving in the wrong gear.
Likewise, we can hook an audio system up to a test station and measure the power and noise that is delivered to our speakers. We can also measure the loss of performance that comes from operating the audio system in the "wrong gear".
Volume controls and gain switches are the "gearboxes" in an audio system. Learn how to "drive in the right gear".
John Siau will take us into Benchmark's Engineering Lab for a performance driving lesson. He will show end-to-end performance measurements of a high-performance Benchmark audio system. He will even "shift it into the wrong gears" so that you can see the resulting loss of performance.
Also in Live Video Tutorials
Feed-Forward Correction Explained!
Feed-Forward Error Correction
Don't look back, the future is here!
Benchmark's AHB2 power amplifier has a unique feedforward error correction system that cancels distortion before it reaches the speaker terminals. In contrast, global feedback systems attempt to correct the distortion after it reaches the speaker terminals.
Feed-forward correction is fast, precise, and inherently stable.
Benchmark's AHB2 blends feedback with feed-forward correction to leverage the best characteristics of each.
Listen to Gene and John as they discuss this revolutionary technology.
- How does the feed-forward system know what correction to send?
- Does it predict the future?
- What makes feedback unstable when driving capacitive loads?
- Why is feed-forward stable when driving capacitive loads?
Take a few minutes to learn how feed-forward error correction works:
- Watch as John provides an easy-to-understand analogy for feed-forward error correction.
- Join the discussion.
- We reserve the right to limit negative feedback.
What is the Purpose of an FFT in Audio Measurements?
The FFT … an Audio Microscope.
An FFT analyzer is like an audio microscope. It allows us to easily measure the frequency and amplitude of tones that are below the level of the noise. Traditional audio meters fail when the signal is lower than the noise level, but with an FFT, we can accurately measure tones that are 30 to 40 dB below the level of the noise.
In many ways, our ears behave like an FFT audio measurement system. Our ears can detect the frequency and amplitude of tones that are as much as 30 dB below the ambient noise. This means that our ears are 30 dB better than traditional audio meters! This is why we can carry on a conversation in a noisy room, and this is why we can hear individual instruments within an orchestra. This is also why small defects need to be detected and corrected when designing top-quality audio gear.
John Siau, Benchmark’s lead Engineer, will explain the “magic” of the FFT analyzer without the use of advanced mathematics. He will show an FFT analyzer in action, and he will measure a complete Benchmark chain to determine if it produces audible noise or distortion. Learn how to read an FFT plot and learn what to look for when selecting audio components.
Don't Become a Victim of Audiophile "Wire Fraud"!
Don't Become a Victim of "Wire Fraud"!
Beware of claims that sound too good to be true. Beware of pseudo-scientific language. Beware of any company, reviewer, or salesperson that describes the "sound" of an audio cable.
If the "sound" of a cable is described in words such as richness, detail, width, or texture, hang onto your wallet. Beware of any promise that a cable will provide a quick fix for your sound system.
While every cable has some measurable impact on the electrical signal flowing through it, this impact is normally well below the threshold of audibility. Of all of the components in an audio chain, cables contribute the smallest errors.
If you want to invest in great sound, cables will yield a very poor ROI.
In this video we will compare the magnitude of the errors contributed by the cables to those of the electronics, the loudspeakers, the listening room, and the music delivery medium. We will show that wires are orders of magnitude less important than these other system components.
Adopt a Sound Investment Strategy
Benchmark's lead engineer, John Siau, presents an "Audio Investment Strategy" that prioritizes investing in the components that yield the highest returns. Cables are at the very bottom of his priority list. Find out why!