Thursday, May 30, 2013

Finding and taking advantage of Your Gifts For God

Our earliest daughter Louise loves photography and also over the this past year, she's been going after that passion by purchasing a great Nikon camera, contacts, and camera bag, practicing her abilities on family and buddies, beginning an internet site and blog, on and on to photography shoots with professionals. I'm thrilled to determine Louise using her talents for God, and gleaning all she will from other people who really are a success.

Everyone has gifts, talents, and abilities that God has highly deposited within us for His glory. We don't have to hide our talents such as the lazy servant in Matthew 25: 14-30, but draw them from our minds and hearts, and bless others together. God has great plans for the lives, when we will just believe and obey Him (Jeremiah 29: 11). The acronym WATERS describes how women can uncover after which use their gifts to help God's kingdom on the planet.

W. Whet your appetite for God. I simply can't get an adequate amount of God's presence He's so awesome. Create a hunger for God and the presence. He's the one that provides for us our gifts!

God really wants to use you, but would you like to be utilized? If that's the case, how? Would you like an overflowing, exciting existence, living it for your maximum potential, or perhaps a mediocre, boring existence?

Psalm 37: 4 states, "Delight (take great pleasure in, enjoy) the The almighty, and that he provides you with the desires of the heart." What exactly are your desires? Bring them to Him, after which while you follow Christ, He'll bring individuals items to pass!

A. Request God, yourself, yet others what your spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities are. What exactly are you actually proficient at? I have had a minimum of three people let me know which i will be a wedding day coordinator. I really like wedding ceremonies ~ planning them, looking for them, designing, organizing, serving inside them. Certainly one of my personal favorite movies is "The Wedding Coordinator" with Jennifer Lopez. And So I am toying using the idea for future years.

Are you currently naturally good with computer systems and a very good artist? You would then most likely be great like a graphic artist. Whenever you speak at retreats, would you receive positive, encouraging feedback? Then you're skilled in communication. What you are saying have weight and authority, so use that gift to bless others!

Do you want to have buddies over for supper and spend some time together? You might possess a gift of hospitality. Do you experience feeling deeply or cry when individuals are harming, and then try to comfort them? You most likely have gifts of whim and empathy.

The spiritual gifts are available in Ephesians 4: 11-12 (five-fold ministry gifts), 1 Corinthians 12: 4-11 (manifestation gifts), and 1 Corinthians 12: 28. Some places of worship or websites have tests you are able to decide to try discover your spiritual gifts. Discover what yours are, and start just to walk for the reason that authority and anointing!

T. Make use of your creativeness. Vicki Caruana states in her own book, Giving Your Son Or Daughter the difference Edge (Tyndale House Marketers, Wheaton IL, p. 49), "Much creative thought requires remaining detached enough from the one idea to permit others that need considering. This might not come naturally to all of us, especially as accustomed to censoring our ideas, as many of us are."

Quite simply, thinking outdoors this area. Permitting proper effort into go wild. Telling the interior critic to seal up, and venturing to write that story by what happened inside your bed room one evening whenever you were five years old, or you had an abortion whenever you were 21. Driving beyond the "nice safe" focus writing and speaking, being real, opting for the jugular in yours as well as your audience's feelings.

How will you best make use of your creative abilities? If you have been cutting someone's hair because you were 12, sign up for cosmetology school and obtain taken care of something love. If you like baking or cooking, begin a catering business. Would you consider horses the foremost and last factor of each and every day? Take riding training from the good trainer, and start showing in British equine shows. Sometimes good creative ideas come when we are just getting an enjoyable experience!

Creativeness does mean giving yourself permission to test something totally new and feel new sensations, like a weight heat balloon ride in Boise State Broncos, or skiing in Colorado. Color outdoors the lines make use of the large box of crayons with colors like Fuzzy Wuzzy Brown. Purchase the new outfit for the wardrobe that you simply admire, but haven't dared to test before.

To obtain the wheels moving, switch off the dvd player and take a stroll where you live, really seeing it the very first time. Look, listen, smell, touch, taste. Too frequently we zone out and do not even notice our surroundings. Are you aware what type of vehicle your neighbor drives? For your matter, would you know what your neighbor appears like or talk to her? Maybe you have observed that around your block is really a home with The spanish language style architecture as well as an enchanting, almost-hidden, outside garden just like a miniature from the Secret Garden?

Visit a large zoo, and merely watch the creatures and individuals. Do home-made science projects. Find out about strange things wide, such as the roar researchers say is originating quickly toward our universe. Begin a flower or vegetable garden and participate in the grime. Reading through good literature and hearing classical or some form of relaxing music every day feeds our brain with creative, new ideas.

E. Exercise your gifts faithfully. Muscles atrophy when they're not used regularly: "Utilize it or lose it." Will we actually want to bury our talents for 4 decades, and awaken one morning, recognizing we are old, it's past too far, and we're not what we should ever really thought about being ~ a painter, a singer, a soldier, a missionary in nigeria, a author, a dolphin trainer? Once we discover what our gifts, talents, and abilities are, and start creating them, they'll flourish. They'll also create inner happiness, and produce pleasure to God yet others.

We have to prune individuals stuff that hinder us from making the most of our potential. How come we putting things off working in the home improvement store, when what we should actually want to do is visit school and become a lawyer? If fixing crimes fascinate you, and you've got always aspired to be considered a detective, then the reason for training basketball for middle schoolers? If you think stuck inside your job or role, get unstuck. Do something. Give consideration to what's inside your heart.

The The almighty provides for us certain desires, for a simple reason. Oddly enough, these desires are frequently associated with our spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities, and eventually to the calling. I've several buddies who love dealing with children, and therefore are gifted at teaching. So that they operate in a Christian school, and therefore are totally happy and satisfied carrying this out.

If you're just getting began inside your craft, do something of belief. Shoot for excellence, not perfection. Have growing room. Set high goals, and discipline you to ultimately pursue more education, write it, speak in the small chapel, or focus on your site to enhance it.

It's like engaging in great condition. If you are 40 pounds overweight, you won't lose it overnight. In the past, I started making more healthy options to slim down - consuming more preparing salads and fewer fast or processed meals, consuming more water, taking nutritional vitamin supplements, using hands weights. Aerobic fitness exercise may be the primary area I want a lot more discipline in, to decrease to my recommended weight. But I have got to behave, rather than nothing. Start where you stand to make use of individuals talents. And find out how God can make His glory garden grow!

R. Achieve for the dreams. Be going to live a complete, beautiful existence, and never waste another. Existence is simply pregnant with options and adventure! Our family's favorite movies is "Secondhand Lions." A youthful boy whose mother abandoned him to reside her very own, fun existence dropped him off in a strange house to reside together with his two old, irritated uncles, who didn't want him there. But eventually their relationship increased close, and that he many userful stuff here from all of these bigger-than-existence males. Among the lines we like in the movie is following the uncles passed away and left the nephew with all of their inheritance (that was substantial). Telling another guy about his two uncles, with great admiration, he stated, "They resided."

Are you currently really living ~ or simply existing? Is that this the existence you want? When not, when will you start?

Go ahead and take ceiling off your opinions, the boundaries you've conditioned you to ultimately, which comes from others' awareness and from negative self-talk. Pay attention to that which you tell yourself. Our ideas possess a great affect on our way of life. Learn how to train your brain to consider positive ideas of success, rather than poisonous, beating ideas. Latch onto a scripture for example, "I'm able to do everything through Christ Jesus who fortifies me!"

Our daughter Leah includes a little register her room which has a vibrant yellow star onto it: "Wish upon a star." What exactly are your three greatest wishes? My first is always to convey more wishes.

Give me an idea to complete? Exactly what do you want to do? Your passion is paramount to understanding your gifts and capabilities!

Marnie Swedberg summed up for me personally in her own recent Writer's Radio Show with author/speaker Cindy Rushton, when she stated that they never feels more alive, than when she's speaking before a sizable group. I truly associated with that! Previously scare me to dying to face before people and speak. I literally accustomed to physically shake and stammer, and felt like I would faint. To tell the truth, I get just a little nervous right before speaking, but the moment I step-up towards the platform, it touches because the anointing of God takes over - thankfully for His sophistication which precious anointing ~ Irrrve never wish to accomplish it without Him! And That I Like it! Personally i think alive when writing and speaking! It is the way God produced me!

What's that God is asking you to definitely do that's larger than you're? There is nothing impossible with God. And That He really wants to perform the impossible due to you as well as for you!

S. "Study to exhibit thyself approved." (2 Timothy 2: 15) What this means is learn all you can, to create recognition to God and also to obey Him. Remain in God's word daily. Proverbs 4: 7-8 states, "Knowledge may be the principle factor therefore, get knowledge. And in most your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she or he will promote you."

Find daily peace and quiet with God, and allow him to talk to you and also show you. His Holy Spirit will train all of you things. (1 John 2: 27)

Pursue more education, classes, training, workshops. Locate a mentor to disciple you. End up like a sponge and take in all you can from those who are effective inside your area of great interest. How did they get began utilizing their gifts or talents? What were the sensible steps they did? Extract the valuable in the useless. God includes a unique blueprint for the existence he really wants to accomplish. He's the actual mentor.

Be humble and receive the aid of people, even family and buddies. Associations are invaluable, not just for that closeness and pleasure they convey, but in addition for networking. Not burning any bridges is usually a good idea, unless of course it's essential for the safety, sanity, or sweetness. It is a really small world, and I've been surprised about how others have return into my existence years later (some whom If only wouldn't have, but maybe they think exactly the same way!). Sometimes, though, they are divine connections. A great guideline is that this: be as nice as possible to individuals. Not appreciate nice people?

Disrespect isn't a sterling trait. Also it may return to haunt you later, particularly when they discover you are now a Christian speaker and author. First and foremost, God is love and that we as followers desire to be like Him and show others that wonderful love. Our gifts are for God's glory and also to further His kingdom. You want to model Jesus, to become His hands, ft, and heart to some lost and dying world.

Our gifts are just like special presents, eagerly waiting to become opened up by God. He's many beautiful surprises available for all of us yet others, once we seek His face, unwrap the present, after which with gratitude enjoy them and utilize them for Him and also to bless others.

Copyright 2009 Janet Johnson

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Connect A Receiver For Your House Theater

What is a Receiver?

A receiver is that big, heavy thing that you plug your speakers and other components into (like a DVD player, TV, CD player, Xbox, PlayStation, iPod, and etc.). Its the "brain" of the show, really. The idea of connecting all your components to a receiver is the concept of audio/video switching, allowing you to switch to different video sources (like TV, DVD, camcorder) on your TV
and thus changing the audio source accordingly - all without touching anything but the receiver.

Of course, the main purpose behind audio/video switching with a receiver is to drive audio to external speakers, like surround sound or stereo speakers.

Most receivers have a plethora of inputs; up to 8 speakers and a subwoofer (more commonly, 5.1, or five speakers and a subwoofer), several video inputs, and even HDMI inputs. You could plug your Xbox, Plasma, and DVD player into the receiver and use one remote to switch between all the different video sources (games, TV, DVD video) and have your speakers pump out surround-sound. Let's start with inputs and outputs. If you don't understand something, read through the entire How-To as most of it will be explained in detail.

Keep in mind that a receiver is the hub of your entire home theatre, so this How-To will actually guide you through the basics of connecting your complete home theater.

So what the heck is all this 'stuff' on the back of your receiver?

I'm going to go over just about anything that you would find on the back of your receiver. The one I'm basing this guide off of is a Harman Kardon AVR-247 I'm going to start from the top left of the unit and work my way to the right, then I'll start at the left of the next row and so on.

The first three inputs are for antennas. An FM antenna cable would slide on to the first jack while two speaker wires would plug into the remaining slots for AM. Of course, you don't have to plug your antennas in, but if you'd like AM/FM reception through your speakers, you'll want to go ahead and do that. These are standard connections, so if you lose one of your antennas, just go buy another for a few bucks.

You've probably heard of composite video. Its a very basic video connection used by most any component (TV, DVD, VCR especially). Its common and its cheap. As such, its very low quality.
Composite uses an RCA cable for video (yellow) and two more RCA cables for audio (red and white, stereo). The problem is that a composite video cable combines luminance and chrominance in the same cable, reducing the quality of the picture. You lose a lot of sharpness, and the color begins to degrade from the original source. Its useful when you need the extra input or the device you're connecting only has composite video. Otherwise, use something else, like component video. Sounds similar; very different.

S-Video is next in line after composite. It uses a different type of connector (five pins in a circle) and gives you marginally better video quality. It is also a video-only cable, so you'll need to plug in audio separately. In this case, you'll probably use a pair of red and white RCA cables for your audio inputs.

Next up: a ton of composite audio inputs. These inputs use left channel and right channel RCA cables, typically red and white. They look just like the yellow composite video cable, and you could even use them for video and the yellow for audio, but let's keep the color scheme how it is ;) Composite audio is the bottom-of-the-barrel in audio. Its perfectly fine for most use, but if you're looking for high quality surround sound, you don't want composite. Game systems, like the Wii or Xbox, and very basic DVD players are a perfect match for composite audio.

The same goes to VCRs, CD players, and anything that only has a composite audio output. Plus, if you don't have surround sound, or your receiver is only two channels (2.1, stereo sound), you won't be able to use anything but composite audio. Note that there is a composite audio input under each composite video input so that it is easy to match them up. Plug them in the wrong inputs and you won't get sound when you're on that particular video input.

Here we have one of the least-used features of a modern receiver: 6 (or 8) channel direct input. This is only used for two purposes: SACD or DVD Audio. SACD is an acronym for Super Audio CD. It is a proprietary audio format developed by Sony for special CDs that are recorded in 5.1 surround sound. That means you need a CD or DVD/CD player that supports SACDs, a receiver with SACD support (as in the picture), and of course Super Audio CD's. DVD Audio is the same idea, different brand, different media (its a DVD, not a CD!).

DVD Audio discs are special DVDs that are recorded in 5.1 surround sound and can only be played by devices with support for them. These CDs go all the way up to 7.1 surround sound, meaning you would need to have two front, two rear, two side speakers and a subwoofer to enjoy full 7.1 surround sound. Most receivers support up to 7.1 now but you won't find DVDs with that kind of capability for movies. 5.1 surround is still the defacto standard, so don't run out and buy more speakers any time soon.

You could skip this next little item because it is unique to this brand of receiver (Harman Kardon). The Bridge" is a proprietary connection they developed for you to connect
an iPod. You need to buy a separate component that includes a docking station and special cables to connect the iPod. It fully integrates with the receiver, displaying
menus and songs on the front LCD screen of the receiver. This allows you to easily pump your tunes through your speakers, whether it be stereo sound or full surround sound.

Of course, the music on your iPod is stereo sound, so the best you can get is simulated surround sound or stereo surround; the same music playing in the front two channels
is put through the rear and center channels. Some receivers do this more intelligently than others, but more on that later.

Here we have our high-end sound inputs/outputs. Basically the same performance wise, you have fiber optic connections (with the square shape) and digital coaxial (just like an RCA cable).
Both of these are 100% digital, whereas composite is analog. The only way you can get true surround sound from any source is by using one of these connections (or the SACD/DVD Audio option)

Almost all DVD players these days have either optical or digital coaxial outputs (sometimes, both). Many high definition cable and satellite boxes also come with these
connections so you can enjoy 5.1 surround sound on high definition channels. Choosing between the two, there's really no different in audio quality, so feel free to use
what you'd like (or what you're forced to).

I don't think I need an image for the next plug. Its a pair of power inputs. One is for powering the receiver, the other for whatever you'd like. This way, when you turn
on the receiver, you give power to the other device (be it a DVD player, CD player, cable box, whatever). I don't necessarily recommend this unless it specifically suits
your needs. It is useful if you're running low on outlets, of course.

Something else you'll never use: D-bus RC-5 input/output. This is used for infrared remote controls to take over your home theater system. Honestly, its not something any of us will ever use. Some of the real high-end junkies might be using something for it, but I've never even come across a device that uses this technology. Stick to the remote that came with your unit, or buy a quality universal remote control. There's no need for this option. An alternate use for this may be a bit more common: if your receiver's front panel is blocked (like inside a cabinet), you could get an infrared transmitter to latch on to the front of it. This transmitter would hook up to another device somewhere in your room that will accept signals from your remote control. The receiving device then transmits the remote's commands to your receiver (via the transmitter you've attached to the front over the regular infrared transmitter).

Pre-outs , located right under the Remote in/out. Pre-outs are used when you'd like to add an amplifier to your system to boost the power (and hence volume/audio quality). Average
users will not use this for anything but the subwoofer preout. You'll want to run a subwoofer cable from your subwoofer to the subwoofer pre-out to provide it with
the right frequencies. This is the proper way to connect your subwoofer to your surround sound system. The other inputs won't be used unless you plan on adding
an amplifier. This is highly unnecessary for home use. You might add an amp if you're trying to fill a room the size of a small house with enough sound, but you're not, right?

Here we finally get to the meat of the system: the speaker inputs! Harman Kardon receivers use bind posts for connecting speakers, as seen in the picture. They
work by being loosened up as your turn them counter-clockwise, then you sneak the speaker wire in underneath the caps and tighten them back up by turning clockwise. This'll
give your speaker wire a nice tug fit that probably won't loosen up on itself over time. Other brands may use other types of connectors, but bind posts are very common.
You might have been able to tell this is a 7.1 channel receiver because of the speaker inputs.

You've got room for 2 front left and right speakers, 2 rear left and right speakers,
a center channel, and two left and right "surround" channels which are placed somewhere in between your front and rear speakers ("side surround", or 7.1). If you have enough
speakers, you can go ahead and plug in those extra 2 side ones, but they won't play any sound at all on a 5.1 DVD. You would need a DVD that supports 7.1
surround sound, and at this time, there just isn't a market for it. CDs will gladly blast stereo surround through all 7 speakers, though, so for some larger rooms, that's an
advantage.

Our final set of connectors for this receiver: component video . The best video you can get next to composite or s-video. You'll notice its a set of three cables (all for video),
usually Red, Green and Blue. Don't think that's what the cable does, though - it separates the video signal by luminance and two separate color channels. In the past, component
did it in fact represent R, G, B (splitting the primary colors in transmit and recombining them at the destination device), but that is not used in current component video
connections. Component video can carry high definition signals, all the way up to 1080p, so it is the most cost effective and readily available high definition input.
Not seen on this receiver are DVI and HDMI, the two all-digital video connections.

HDMI is the newest, fastest, sharpest video and audio connection available today. Its the only cable that can carry audio and video in one - not to mention, in high definition.
HDMI must be supported by the source and the display you're connecting it to to use all of its features. Not all DVD players, cable boxes, or receivers support both
audio and video in HDMI. Its becoming more and more of a standard now to support both. The advantage is clear: less cable clutter, higher quality audio and video. You can get up
to 1080p high definition video and 7.1 surround sound through an HDMI cable. Newer cable and satellite boxes, DVD players, high definition DVD players, and more expensive receivers
support the full capability of HDMI. Its the best you can get as all-digital goes.

The last connection for this article is DVI. DVI is also all digital like HDMI, but it cannot process audio signals. HDMI may provide a technically superior image,
but I don't think anyone could tell the difference. DVI supports high definition video all the way up to 1080p, just like HDMI. Its being used less frequently now,
but if you've bought a new computer or video card for your PC recently, it probably has a DVI (or two) port on it. Most computer monitors use DVI now and video cards
have followed suit. HDMI is edging its way into the PC market, but its dominance is seen in the home theater arena.

Now that you've familiarized yourself with common connections, let's plug it all together.

This part of the receiver How-To is going to guide you through hooking a 5.1 surround sound system(5 speakers and a subwoofer) with a high-definition TV, a high-definition cable or satellite box, a DVD player, and a 5.1 receiver.

Your TV & Components

Where you put your TV is dependent on how large it is, how large your room is, and where you will be sitting. If its 50 inches, don't sit more than 10-15 feet away; but no less, either.
A 60" set is perfect for 12-20 feet. If you have a 32 inch set, try to sit no farther than 8-12 feet away. Your receiver, DVD player, cable box, and other components should obviously be close together, but don't place them physically on top of each other. They all get hot, especially your receiver. If you have no other choice, slide a thin piece of plywood between the components to help dispense the heat.

Lay Out of Speakers

The first step is to lay out your setup. Different rooms call for different locations for your speakers and subwoofer. If your room is a typical rectangle, go ahead and place your two front left and right speakers somewhere flush with the television on that side of the room. Your left speaker goes toward the left corner, right speaker toward the right corner. Don't bother with speaker wire yet (unless your speakers come with speaker wire attached already; in that case, just let them dangle for now). Note that which speaker is left or right is solely dependent on how you connect them to your receiver. Your speakers aren't actually designated "left" or "right".

Depending on how you acquired your speakers, your front speakers could be larger than your rear speakers. That's how you know they're for the front. Otherwise, all your speakers are the same shape and size, and you can use each for any purpose.

One exception: the center channel. Usually, a center channel is much shorter and wider than your other speakers. It should only be used for the center channel. Sometimes, all 5 of your speakers could be the same, usually on a very inexpensive setup. You can use any of these speakers for any purpose.

Your center channel should always go either directly on top or under your television set. However you have to do this, get it done! It's not called the center channel for nothing, you know. Any movie will pump out almost 90% of the voices you hear and a majority of the rest of the sounds through the center channel. It is a vitally important component to your surround sound setup.

Your subwoofer should always be on the floor. If it is impossible to place it on the floor, get it as close to the floor as possible. Placing it behind objections or in closets will diminish its effects. In a perfect setup, the subwoofer would be on the floor close to the TV (perhaps off to the left or right) in your line of sight. Nothing should block the side of the subwoofer that air will come out of (usually covered by a grill protecting the subwoofer speaker itself).

When it comes to finding a good spot for your speakers, you might want to mount them. You can usually buy compatible speaker mounts online or in stores. You can also
use existing shelving, buy some shelving, or place them on tables or other objects. No matter how you do it, try to keep the speakers as close to ear level as possible. A speaker mounted at the ceiling of your room isn't going to give you the optimal aural experience.

The last thing to keep in mind about layout is speaker wire. You'll probably need at least 100ft of speaker wire, but you'll often find yourself using much more if you
try running wire through your ceiling, under carpeting, up through the basement, or around objects to conceal it. Take measurements and buy at least 10% more wire than
you think you need. You'll probably use it!

Cabling

You need to know the different kind of speaker wire available to you before setting up your home theatre. If you bought an HTIB (home theater in a box), it probably came with 100ft of horribly cheap speaker wire. You don't want that! Do yourself a favor: buy some high-quality, 14-gauge speaker wire. Anything higher than 14-gauge is just to thin and will be susceptible to interence, quality loss, and poor quality over longer distances. Fourteen gauge is a good thickness and suitable for most home theatres. Make sure its also not too thick - some speaker wire simply will not fit in to the speaker wire jacks on some receivers.

Some receivers use proprietary speaker inputs. Sony is one example. Many Sony receivers have special connectors for speaker wire and will not accept a standard speaker wire. You'll need to use either the Sony-provided speaker wire, take the ends off of Sony speaker wire and put it on your own, or buy some of these special connectors from Sony directly to place on your speaker wire. My recommendation? Avoid any receivers with non-standard speaker wire posts/jacks/connectors. Look for bind posts or other jacks that allow you to slide in and clamp down on a typical speaker wire.

Once you've got your speaker wire sorted out, you'll have to do some cutting and stripping if you opted to purchase your own. This is way easier than it sounds, so don't worry!

Measure out each length one at a time, cutting the speaker wire with either really great scissors or a sharp blade. Now you need to strip the ends of the wire. Use either a stripping tool or plain old scissors. You can place the scissors on the cable and gently apply some pressure as you twist the scissors around the cable, carefully slicing into the plastic coating. Eventually, it'll get weak enough that you can just slide it off by tugging on it with your fingers. You need at least 1/4" of exposed wire.

Now you can connect your speakers. Note on your speaker wire the difference between the two ends. You'll need to use one as your positive and one as your negative. Sometimes the coating is a different color between the two or there is text on one and not on the other. Keep track of this - whichever side you use for positive on your speaker, use it for positive on your receiver. Crossing the two can cause damage, either immediately or sometime in the future. It might work this way but you don't want it to!

Connecting the speakers is easy enough. Front left to front left on your receiver, center speaker to center on your receiver, etc... Your rear speakers may be referred to as "Surround" or "Rear Surround" instead of just "Rear", but keep in mind, if you have a 7.1 or 8.1 channel receiver, "Surround" may indicate side surround speakers, not rear speakers.

Subwoofers

Your subwoofer is going to be a little more complicated. There are a few different ways to do it and many variations of inputs/ouputs on the back side of subwoofers. I'm going to go with the most standard and efficient method first.

You will need a subwoofer cable for connecting your sub. If you don't have one or don't want to buy one, you can substitute it for a standard red or white RCA cable (or a pair, since they are usually connected; just let the other cable dangle). It will work, but its really not the best way to do it. You'll also need whats called a Y adapter. On the back of your sub, there should be a left/right input (red and white). You plug the Y adapter in to these connections and then your subwoofer cable (or RCA cable) in the other end of the Y (note: if you don't have a Y adapter, just choose the left or right input to plug into).

Now, take the other end of your cable and plug it into your receiver's
subwoofer preout. Hopefully you have a powered sub, meaning it gets plugged into an AC power outlet. All you need to do now is plug that in and your subwoofer is good to.

If you don't have RCA jacks on your subwoofer, or it only has speaker wire jacks (and its most likely not powered), you'll need to connect it the old fashioned way. Your front left and right speakers will plug into your subwoofer's ouput jacks instead of your receiver. You'll then run speaker wire from the left and right inputs on the subwoofer to your left and right speaker outputs on your receiver. This way, the subwoofer is powered by the receiver and will not work as well as a powered sub. You also take some power away from your front speakers with this method. A good idea is to buy a new, powered subwoofer with line in RCA jacks.

Connecting the Dots

You've got the hard stuff out of the way. Now finish it up by connecting your TV, DVD, and cable/satellite box. Always try using the best options first. If your DVD
has HDMI and so does your receiver, use it. If your DVD only has composite, s-video, and component, use component video cable. When it comes to audio, you absolutely need
to use digital coaxial (jacks are usually orange) or fiber optic (usually the jack is recessed into the unit and has a door on it; when the door is open, a red light is visible). If you do not use either of these two, you won't get true surround sound! When all else fails, resort to composite (red and white) audio connectors.

Note: Look closely at the connections on your receiver. Everything is labeled, like the first set of red, green, and blue component video inputs might be labeled "Comp 1". If you're using composite audio cablesfor your sound, you'll need to plug them into the jacks that coordinate with "Comp 1". This might not be clear by looking at the receiver, so refer to your receiver's manual to figure out which video inputs use which audio inputs. Most often, you'll be able to configure them from the receiver's internal menu using the remote control.

On some receivers, all the component video inputs, for example, are linked to a single composite audio input (usually "DVD"), so if you connect more than one of the component inputs, you will be competing for sound when more than one device is active. This is why you'd want to configure the component inputs to use different audio inputs.

Your manual is the only way to figure out how to go about it. Composite video will usually match up to composite audio inputs with naming conventions like Video 1 -> Video 1, Video 2 -> Video 2, etc., but cables like component and DVI may not. You should also configure digital audio inputs to match up with the video inputs you're planning on using. For example, if you're using a digital coaxial input (possibly "Digital 1"), and you use component video, you'll want to match "Digital 1" with "Comp 1". Again, refer to your users manual for how to do this.

Sunday, May 26, 2013

OSD Audio Wireless Frog Loudspeakers





Our 2.4GHz weatherproof frog loudspeakers send quality seem easily as much as 300' clear (distance varies with respect to the atmosphere) through walls, flo...

Friday, May 24, 2013

Stretch Fabric Roofs and Structures

Stretch fabric roofs are an easy way to hide problems including wiring or gantries. Additionally, they may be created to accommodate acoustics, high-microbial areas, and much more. Here is a listing of a few of the benefits and purposes of stretch fabric structures.

1.Smoke-out:

Smoke-out fabric structures really are a knitted textile, composed of melting lines which allow automatic openings from the material just in case of the fire and permit sprinklers to activate. They're a perfect structure for industry events, exhibition stands, and interior installations.

2.Drop paper:

Stretch fabric may also be used to produce drop-paper structures to split an area or add a little of colour to some space. They can be made from fire-proof material. You will find various sorts of drop paper including, with fibreglass, without fibreglass, large format for digital printing and much more. The materials could be created for ink jet printing in addition to illumination.

-drop papers are frequently utilized in offices, reception areas, conference and meeting rooms, international airports, concert halls, auditoriums, schools, libraries, restaurants, in addition to any other vacation spot where noise and seem have to be controlled.

-Stretch materials are a perfect material for places where noise and seem have to be handled. They are able to also accommodate low-current lighting and lcd audio systems. Materials are often simple to move and for that reason could be transformed, changed, or removed without interfering with the relaxation from the space.

-Customized fabric structures are an easy way to hide ceiling problems. They may be developed in three dimensional, free-form, or built-into additional factors from the ceiling.

-The materials are lightweight and therefore are very durable. There is a lengthy existence expectancy. Furthermore, they are usually energy-efficient and eco-friendly.

Some specific types types of stretch fabric structures are:

a) Standard covers: ideal for new build or restoration cites, in addition to classic roofs.

b) Anti-microbial: well suited for treatment centers, kitchen areas, schools, and hospitals.

c) Transluscent: use lighting to produce ambiance.

d) Coloured: a terrific way to add texture, colour, and style to some room.

e) Water repellant: well suited for lavatories, pools, and kitchen areas.

f) Acoustic covers: the response to noise from large open spaces and public facilities.

g) Stainless: ideal for playrooms and kitchen areas.

Stretch fabric roofs and structures are an easy way to include texture to some room, so that as detailed above, have numerous benefits. However, the typical consumer does not always think for their services, or the way they should incorporate them in to the design and layout of the room. Consequently they're most widely used among professional designers, tapestry makers, stretch ceiling companies, designers, and experimental handymen.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Yamaha NSICS600WH 120 Watts RMS Speaker, White by Yamaha

Yamaha NSICS600WH 120 Watts RMS Speaker, White
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Yamaha NSICS600WH 120 Watts RMS Speaker, White

Yamaha's policy of always putting sound quality first, combined with decades of experience in producing fine speakers, ensures that the sound of these speakers is superior to that of many other in-ceiling speakers. the ns-ic800, ns-ic600 and ns-ics600 use a blue pp (polypropylene) mica cone woofer and fluid-cooled soft- dome swivel tweeter in a coaxial design. the tweeter swivels so it can be aimed for most effective high frequency output. the ns-ic400 features a Yamaha original double-layer cone that delivers very natural sound tonality. a unique ridge-shape aluminum center cap with a stepped speaker surround eliminates mid-high frequency peaks, so the sound is delivered smoothly and musically. General information-manufacturer-Yamaha corporation:general information-manufacturer part number-ns-ics600wh:general information-manufacturer website address-Yamaha:general information-brand name-Yamaha:general information-product model-ns-ics600:general information-product name-ns-ics600 speaker:general information-packaged quantity-1:general information-product type-speaker:technical information-crossover type-2-way:technical information-rms output power-120 w:technical information-driver type-dome:technical information-minimum frequency response-65 Hz:technical information-maximum frequency response-28 kHz:technical information-impedance-8 ohm:technical information-crossover frequency-3.20 kHz:technical information-sensitivity-87 db:physical characteristics-color-white:physical characteristics-depth-4.3":physical characteristics-diameter-9.0":physical characteristics-weight (approximate)-4.00 lb:

Feature

  • Slim profile design for flush in-celing or wall mounting
  • Sealed back cover protects against dust and moisture
  • Paintable grill and large mounting clamp
  • Dual voice-coil woofer and tweeter for stereo input in a single speaker
  • Grain-finished acoustic baffle with spiral pattern for natural sound dispersion
  • Crossover Type-2-way;Maximum Frequency Response-28 kHz; Physical Characteristics-Color-White;
  • Driver Type-Dome; Crossover Frequency-3.20 kHz; Physical Characteristics-Diameter-9.0;
  • Minimum Frequency Response-65 Hz;Sensitivity-87 dB; Physical Characteristics-Weight (Approximate)-4.00 lb;
  • RMS Output Power-120 W;Impedance-8 Ohm; Physical Characteristics-Depth-4.3;

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

10 Methods to Help Your House Be Energy Star Efficient That Will Cut Costs

You will find a lot of steps you can take to help your house be more energy-efficient and listed here are 10 Energy Star approved ways that may help you accomplish this goal.

To begin with, exactly what does it mean with an Energy Star rating. Energy Star is really a government-backed program helping companies and people safeguard the atmosphere through superior energy efficiency. There's lots of items and steps you can take in your house to satisfy the power Star standards and provide your more effective home.

1. Energy Star Home appliances. Knowning that besides to buy a appliance, understanding how much electricity it uses or just how much water it uses will effect how much money it'll cost you for doing things with time. With Energy Star qualified home appliances that consume less energy and fewer water the savings as high as 50% can wild weigh having to pay less cash for any less capable appliance. The truth is a great Energy Star ranked washer, can help you save near to 0.00 with time.

2. Cooling and heating. Everyone knows that certain from the greatest expenses within our house is heating our houses during the cold months and cooling them within the summer time. Electric and gas bills appear not to cease rising every year. Older equipment use lots of energy to function. When it's time to replace a furnace or ac, you have to be thinking Energy Star.

With equipment that's older then ten years, it might be time for you to do something about it and never only boost the efficiency from the cooling and heating system in your house but additionally lowering the cost to operate it. with Energy Star Air conditioning equipment, you are able to reduce your bills up to 0 or even more yearly and simultaneously help your house be much more comfortable to reside in.

3. Fans. Most home owners have a number of fans. These products, if used correctly, will help keep the home much more comfortable in the cold seasons as well as in the seasons. But, you know what? Energy Star qualified fans use enhanced motors and edge designs which make them more effective to operate and will also lead towards the overall energy savings in your house. In case your fans have lights, then you have to be considering using more effective Energy Star ranked lighting.

4. Energy Star Ranked Lighting. Energy Star qualified lighting provides vibrant, warm sensational looking uses about 75% less energy than standard lighting. This lighting may also last as much as 10 occasions longer and produces about 75 % less warmth then other lighting. Here's an incredible statistic, while using more energy-efficient CFL lighting, can help you save .00 within the duration of each bulb. Perform the math and multiply this occasions the amount of lights you would employ in your house. It's suggested that you simply replace your overall lights with CFLs in fittings that can be used for fifteen minutes or even more at any given time, several occasions each day.

5. Equipment For Your Office. Possess a office at home? Many people do nowadays here is another place that you can reduce your house energy costs. Most equipment for your office remains on for many hrs every day. Using the new energy-efficient design and energy management features the Energy Star ranked equipment for your office has, utilizing it doesn't only save energy but it will help to lessen the eco-friendly house gas pollutants that may lead to climatic change.

Consider it! Computer systems, monitors, fax machines and copiers, ink jet printers along with other equipment run for hrs every day. Energy Star energy management features place computer systems (CPU, hard disk, etc.) right into a low-energy "sleep mode" following a designated duration of lack of exercise. Low-energy modes for computer systems lessen the spinning from the hard disk drive, which decreases energy consumption.

6. Home Electronics. Considering that home electronic items use energy constantly even when they're off, it's no surprise the average household stays over 0 annually simply to energy these products while they're within the standby mode. More recent Energy Star models not just consume less energy within the performance of those functions additionally they perform equally well otherwise better then individuals which use more energy.

You will find a lot of home electronic items we have arrived at rely on. Televisions, Home Entertainment Systems, DVD Gamers, Compact disc Gamers, Devices, Loudspeakers and much more. When it's time to replace or upgrade these items, remember both of these words, Energy Star.

7. Energy Star Home windows and Skylights. Changing old home windows in your house with Energy Star ranked glass can help you save as much as 0.00 annually. Older home windows appear to continually feel drafty so when they are doing, this ensures they are letting air infiltrate to your home. For this reason a lot of people put plastic over their home windows during the cold months. With Energy Star ranked home windows, you wouldn't want to use plastic.

Because skylights make use of the same technology as Energy Star home windows, they act much the same with the exception that they receive more sunlight within the summer time and during the cold months the versions in temperatures are greater. Again, these more effective skylights tight on air infiltration and aid in reducing your time bills.

8. Energy Star Exterior Doorways. Everyone knows how important the elements draining is on the door to help keep the environment out and also the warmth in, however with Energy Star ranked doorways, more attention is centered on the elements draining providing you with a significantly tight seal then older doorways. The frames also provide much tight closes and fit together better. The core materials incorporate a memory foam core and efficient upgraded steel, wood or abs plastic cladding. Additionally they incorporate double and triple Low E glass for optimum efficiency.

9. Sealing Your House the power Star Way. You will find a lot of places in the home where air could possibly get in and you should know how you can seal individuals areas and the environment outdoors, where it goes. Air could possibly get in around home windows and doorways, around recessed lights, around plumbing vents, wiring holes, switch and outlet covers, furnace flues and chases and round the frame work for example rim joists and soffits. Sealing air leaks within the basement and also the loft with help to keep your house air leak tight and efficient.

10. Energy Star Ranked Insulation and Ventilation. Adding insulation towards the block walls in cellars ., the outdoors walls of the house as well as in the loft can certainly help together with your cooling and heating bills. Within the loft it's also important to achieve the proper ventilation. Which means you add insulation within the loft for warmth, why can you allow cold air to go in the loft to maintain your home more effective? During the cold months using the proper air flow within the loft, which will help keep your loft cold, it reduces the opportunity of ice damming. I am certain that so many people are conscious of this issue. When snow accumulates on the top, a hot loft may cause the snow to melt and soon ice forms. Ice dams develop after which because the ice touches water can increase underneath the shingles and discover entry to your home.

Within the summer time, natural ventilation inside a well-venting loft together with the correct vents as well as ventilation fans or ventilators guide super-hot air from the loft, safeguarding the roofing and becoming the moisture out. You may also buy Photo voltaic Powered Ventilation Fans that take advantage from the natural energy of sunlight to assist awesome the loft. The well insulated loft then assists in keeping the warmth from engaging in the home.

With such 10 Energy suggestions will help you maintain the best house possible and help you save 100s of dollars.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Top Challenges Facing Smaller Businesses and Entrepreneurs

1. Talent. Finding and retaining qualified employees is easily the most significant challenge towards the growth and survival of the business. Using people without proper skills isn't just spend your time, but additionally waste of assets. Lots of people you hire will turn to be hard to rely on or incompetent or both.

2.Marketing and pr. Small business owners have lots of understanding of his product or business, but don't how you can promote his items or services. A great method is insufficient if nobody is aware of it. The entrepreneur should also learn creative marketing, and focusing on pr to spread understanding of his services and products.

3.Brand equity. Like a start up business, building brand equity poses probably the most challenging tasks of the business. If you don't have a very good history of establishing other companies, lots of people might not trust both you and your company while you haven't developed your status.

4.Cash flow. Conducting business nowadays certainly isn't cheap, particularly if you would like it to be really effective. A rather mismanaged cash flow may cause a company to visit lower easily, and lots of online companies fail due to this.

5. Condition and federal rules. You will find lots of rules involved with beginning a company in any country. Getting compliance and moving with the tough government rules is an extremely tough task. Knowing where you'll get government grants or loans and subsidies is really a bonus, which is frequently not as simple as the recommendations.

6.Economic uncertainty. It's difficult to begin a business once the economy is within bad. When there's high unemployment, business and customers might have tight budget and therefore are unlikely to consider risk to test something new or service. In addition, it's harder to obtain a loan.

7.Maintaining with technology. Technology moves really fast. You will find always new software or products available that will help inside your business. Despite the fact that a few of these might be essential, having the ability to afford them and selecting a proven method and taking advantage of new technology to assist your company grow can be quite tough.

8.Use of capital. Some companies require considerable amounts of capital to operate. Undercapitalization may hinder the development or even be result in a company to fail. Entrepreneurs who aren't well connected or don't have a history might find it tough to find capital.

9.Insufficient specific abilities. Some companies need very specific talents that are difficult to find or costly. If specific talents towards the business are essential, research ought to be done to ascertain if they are offered before beginning the company.

10.Over reliance upon founders. The founders will be the ones which do everything. They come forth with the minds, the main city and anything else essential to start. Consequently, a few of these companies cannot function without their founders, also it poses an excellent threat to scalability and growth. Once the organization is stable, the workers should play a larger role in the organization.

Many companies are family possessed companies as you can easily find family people and begin a business. For a lot of family possessed business, listed here are the most popular challenged faced:

1.Informality Most family business are informal and don't cash structure or guidelines. Communications might be informal and might be affected by political divisions or any other relationship problems.

2.Limited Opinion Because the family business usually employs family people, there might be insufficient outdoors opinions which limits around the diversity of ideas needed to grow the company.

3.Insufficient Talent and turnover Employing family people for top positions prevents great talents from joining the organization as there's a "glass ceiling" Some family people might even don't have the abilities needed to do the job, and firing a relative is difficult. When employees believe that the household will invariably promote over outsiders so when employees understand that management is incompetent they'll leave.

4. Conservative and paternalistic Since many family possessed companies are operated by older family people, there's a potential to deal with changes and new ideas suggested by more youthful family people and tradition will prevail over guidelines.

5. No obvious exit strategy Family companies usually run till they fail. At no reason from the business do they require a valuation or intend to decrease or increase its value.

6. No obvious roles or training Family people might be place into positions which aren't good fit on their behalf, which is done this because of relationship in the household. There's frequently no formal training, documentation or business continuity plan if a relative needs to retire or leaves the organization.

7.Growth. Because of insufficient capital, talents, new opportunities or potential to deal with reinvest in the industry, family companies frequently face challenges in growing or growing regionally or worldwide.

Fundamental essentials common challenges faced by companies. If you are planning to begin one, possibly you are able to think about conquering a few of these while you write your strategic business plan.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Pinpoint Mounts AM20-Black Universal Home Theater Speaker Wall Ceiling Mount with Electrical Box Installation Adapter Plate by Pinpoint Mounts

Irrespective of how hard you try and make your self think that what you currently have is good enough for your want, you'll find nonetheless several a lot more goods come along inside the market place. So there will likely be several concerns constructing up inside your mind, are they good enough? That is the most effective? Is it hard to utilize? Can I afford? According to that reality, we proudly present you our Pinpoint Mounts AM20-Black Universal Home Theater Speaker Wall Ceiling Mount with Electrical Box Installation Adapter Plate That is the smartest and excellent first choice that every person ought to select. And you may in no way regret it soon after. Due to the fact we're really concentrate on your demand and quality of our product. Not merely that, we also hardly pay attention on the functional and look too. Our Pinpoint Mounts AM20-Black Universal Home Theater Speaker Wall Ceiling Mount with Electrical Box Installation Adapter Plate could be the most cautious technology. And also combine essentially the most intelligent technique that's quite easy to function. However, essentially the most durability is included.

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Pinpoint Mounts AM20-Black Universal Home Theater Speaker Wall Ceiling Mount with Electrical Box Installation Adapter Plate

The Pinpoint Mounts AM20 Universal Home Theater speaker mount has been designed for maximum flexibility and compatibility for home theater speakers. Sold as a single mount, the AM20 offers multiple mounting options for traditional speaker mounting applications such as ceiling or wall locations and the unique ability to be mounted directly to any single gang electrical box found in today’s pre-wired home theaters. Made from steel and aluminum, the AM20 will support speakers up to 12 pounds and includes all hardware to mount nearly all home theater speakers on the market today. The AM20 incorporates a ball joint system allowing for endless angles for fine tuning the speaker’s sound and simple 2 piece design allowing for easy mounting. The AM20 is available in black or white to match any speaker.

Feature

  • Mounts to back of speakers that have a single or dual threaded insert or keyhole slot.
  • Supports speakers up to 12 lbs. (5.44 kg)
  • Sold as a single unit to mount one speaker.
  • 90 degree up/down tilt & 360 degree left/right swivel
  • Designed to be mounted to a single gang electrical box, wood stud, block wall or drywall and can be used as a wall or ceiling mount.

Saturday, May 18, 2013

The Very Best Ten Mistakes Inspirational Loudspeakers Make

So, you want to be a motivational speaker. Join the club. In case you haven't noticed, it's a REALLY BIG club. So start working now to make sure you find ways to stand out from the crowd. We'll start with looking at what you should NOT do.

You know you've got a powerful message. You know you've got a killer story. You've got the brochures printed and the website up and running. You can hear the applause. You can envision the standing ovation. You know exactly where the cameras should be to get your best angle. You've even found the perfect outfit. You've got the cover of your book designed, and you've already told everybody in the neighborhood that you're a speaker, including the pizza guy who has already hired you as his life coach. There's just one thing you don't have - a speech. Yeah, that's a problem.

If you haven't crafted a spectacular speech, or even a pretty good speech, then you have just created a brand around no product. You did say you're a speaker, right? That means you get paid for speaking. Don't feel bad, there are many speakers out there who spend all their time packaging their product and never really get around to writing that darn speech. The speech is what you are selling. The speech is what the client is going to buy. The speech is what you will deliver. The speech is your product. Without a speech you have just branded air - and if you can sell a speech that you haven't even written, well, I commend you on your selling skills, and if this doesn't pan out, you can try selling snake oil from a covered wagon. Anyway, not having a speech is your bad news. The good news is that I would rather help a speaker who has no speech, than a speaker who has spent years delivering a crappy one. You have a clean slate to work with and nothing excites me more than a clean slate. Okay, so maybe chocolate excites me more. And campy sitcoms. And the words "buy one get one free." But, still, a clean slate is pretty high up there on my list.

So you're pumped up and ready to go. You have an idea of what you want do and how you want to do it. In fact, you have spent an obscene amount of time telling anybody who will listen what you want to do and how you want to do it, and asking everybody and their mother what you should do and how you should do it. For months it has been all about you. STOP. (Sorry to yell.) It's not about you - it's about them. This is always about them - your listener, your reader, your audience. This is not about what you want to do, it's about what they want to see and hear - that you are qualified to speak about, of course. Did you hear that? That you are QUALIFIED to speak about. So let's spend this time together talking about what it is that audiences want in a motivational speech. Because if you give them what they want, you will leave them cheering, wanting more, and remembering your name. Which is the point. Sorry for all the sentence fragments. Let's just say I won't be a speaker who talks about grammar!

I think that sometimes the best way to learn is from our mistakes. So let's talk about the ten mistakes that most motivational speakers make in their speeches. And, yes, I have made every mistake myself, more than once. I repeat, these are mistakes. Don't try them at home. Unless you want to lose an audience in thirty minutes or less. Or maybe that's your goal. If that's the case, then you're in luck, because it's easy to lose an audience. There are thousands of speakers out there doing it every day.

So here are the top ten mistakes motivational speakers make in their motivational speeches:

Just "Wing It" - As long as you have a general idea of where you want to go, that's good enough. Every word that comes out of your mouth is worth listening to. You're convinced your words are music to their ears. Just stand up there, smile, and start talking. WRONG. You're a professional. You are paid to be up there. Earn your money. Write a speech. Learn it. Practice it. Practice it again and again. Find as many audiences as you can that will let you test it on them. And food for thought: Audiences shouldn't pay you to test your speech. Sometimes you should pay them, if you know what I mean. Fine tune that thing until it is worth the money you are charging. The speaker who scripts his speech will win EVERY TIME over the speaker who decides to just "wing it." There is too much competition in the speaking business for you to just get up there and talk. Do that, and you won't last long.

Give Them Just The Facts Ma'am Just The Facts - You are not here to entertain. They are not here to have a good time. You are a professional. Your knowledge is to be respected. They should sit down, be quiet, and shut up so you can tell them everything you know in sixty minutes accompanied by a slide show that is more painful than water boarding. WRONG. There is one thing that every client who has ever called me has been looking for in their speaker: FUN. Yes, you heard me right. Audiences want a fun experience. Yes, they want to learn. Yes, they want to be challenged. Yes, they want to be taught. But they want to be entertained. Highly entertained. There will be thousands of other speakers who will be speaking on your same topic. It's the speaker who looks fun that will be chosen.

This is a Performance, Pretend That They Aren't Here. You are a performer. You are the star. The stage is yours. This is your time to shine. The audience is secondary. Pretend they aren't even there. This is about you baby. WRONG. This is the difference between an entertainer/performer and a speaker. The entertainer is performing for the audience - the speaker is talking with the audience. And in some cases, the audience even gets to answer, which is not something you will find on Broadway. But here's the thing, they still want to be entertained. So your job is to perform, entertain, and make it about them - bring them into the action - take them into the story. Gone are the days of one speech fits all. Audiences can smell a canned speech from miles away. Do everything you can to make this about them and not about you. This takes knowing your audience and having the humility to stop bragging so much. You would think this is basic advice, but I see a lot of seasoned speakers whose speech is nothing more than an autobiography.

Start Slow And Ease Into The Speech. Spend a good ten minutes at the beginning greeting everyone and telling them how happy you are to be there. Then thank them a couple of times and spend five more minutes talking about why you wrote this speech, and then another five minutes explaining the story you are about to tell. Remember, you're the star. Every word you say is golden. Your voice sounds like melted butter. WRONG. Okay, so maybe it does sound like melted butter - but even the best voice can not trump a weak opening. The opening of your speech is CRUCIAL. Here is where you get their attention or lose it. And if you lose them, you're going to have a heck of a time getting them back unless you bring nudity into it. And, take it from me, that doesn't always work. Start with a bang. Find a powerful moment in your speech and start there. Jump right into the action. Go right into an act out. Your audience will get it. And if they don't, they sure will appreciate that you have done something different even if they don't understand what it was.

Spend Hours Working On Your Content And Ten Minutes On The Stories. They are paying you for your wisdom. You need to give them as much information as they can possibly take in a short amount of time. Forget three points, go for fifteen. And add twenty-seven more points to the handout, along with a PowerPoint presentation that gives them some more things to think about. Oh, yeah, and throw in a story when you can. They love those. WRONG. WRONG. WRONG. Being a professional storyteller before I was a professional speaker (and, no, they AREN'T the same thing - look up the art form) taught me the value in stories. The stories will do all the work for you. They will entertain, make it personal, teach, and be remembered for YEARS. The audience will forget you, they won't forget your stories. If you tell them well. You don't have to be Shakespeare. In fact, we would rather you didn't. Just be you. Tell stories that are interesting, mean something, and are short. Tighten them up - power up the words you use - and give them some humor and you're all set. It's not the information that sets you apart - it's how you wrap it - the story.

Just Write The Speech, Don't Bother With An Outline. Who needs order? Just start talking and the points will come, and if you're lucky you'll make ten other points that you never thought of before. If you don't get to everything you needed to cover, that's okay, they have the handout. Keep them on their toes by confusing them with your message. Tell them you're going to talk about one thing, and then talk about another. Just to shake things up. WRONG. Audiences are big on you delivering what you say you're going to deliver. If your title says you'll give them ten marketing tips, they won't think it's funny that you spend fifty minutes of the hour talking about your kid's soccer game. Even if it did make them laugh and you even included pictures in the PowerPoint. It baffles me how many speakers out there come to me for help on their keynote and they can't tell me the purpose of the thing and what points they want to make. This should be the easiest part of the process. What is the problem and why are you the one here to fix it? What is the message you want to give to this group - the overall message? And what are three points you want to make to tell them how to do it? How will you encourage them and call them to action? These are basic structural issues that should begin any speech writing process. Know where you want to go before you start.

Unless You're A Comedian, Don't Try For Laughs. Leave jokes to the big guns. You aren't funny - maybe funny looking, but not funny. You're not qualified to punch up your keynote. Besides, it's too hard. Takes too much work and time. Let the others be funny. You have a job to do. WRONG. Yes, I'll admit that not everyone is funny. I'll admit that some people couldn't tell a joke if their life depended on it. But I still say that you can find ways to get people to laugh and to make your presentation fun. You just have to be creative - find what's already working for you - study comedy - get help from people who are funny and can help you find the style that works for you. Why? Because FUNNY SELLS. Nine times out of ten, the client will choose the funny speaker, or the one who looks like he is having the most fun. Make your headshots fun. Make your website fun. Make your titles fun. Fun is as good as funny.

Whatever You Do, Don't Try Anything New. If it's working for you, don't change it. Better yet, see what everybody else is doing and make sure you're doing it too. Copy, copy, copy. Get on the bureaus' websites and check out the thousands of speakers listed. Make sure your headshot looks just like theirs. Pick the same topics. Tell their stories. Pick a brand you like and copy it. You don't want anybody to think you're weird. If in doubt, play it safe. WRONG. The kiss of death in this business is looking like the others. Embrace what already makes you different - your own talents and perspectives and stories - the unique way in which you see the world. Most audiences have seen A LOT of speakers, and they're getting tired of the same-old-same-old. They want something fresh. They want something different. You don't have to light yourself on fire or come down from the ceiling on a swing wearing a thong. Sometimes something as little as an act out can make all the difference. Keep trying new things. Keep raising the bar on yourself. Come out of your comfort zone. So what if your audience didn't like it? You tried. And, like I said, many times your audience will appreciate your effort even if they think you looked stupid doing it. Dare to look stupid. It could make all the difference.

Come Up With A Stage Voice and Stage Gestures. Maybe James Earl Jones or a Roseanne Barr would be nice. Make sure that when you start speaking you sound like somebody else completely. Plan all the pauses at the end of your sentences - timed with an arm raise or a slight head turn. You're on a stage, this is the place to do things big and dramatic. Use language you would never use in ordinary conversation. Bigger words make you sound smarter. Quote thirty-seven other motivational speakers and dead presidents. Conjure up tears if you can and nothing gets an audience like having a nervous breakdown when you tell the story of the time your dog ran away, that you always end with, "I don't usually cry like that." WRONG. Again, here is the difference in a performance and a speech. When you're a speaker, it's all about connecting with the audience - being real - who you are. It's all about talking like you normally talk (minus the "uh's" and "um's" of course). Pretend they're sitting across from you at the kitchen table when you tell them that you've been where they are. The more dramatic you make it, the more they will distance themselves because that's not really you up there since chances are good you don't kneel down on one knee at home. Of course you want to be in control of your movements and the inflection of your voice - and there are things to take into consideration. But the point is to look natural - not plastic - human - not wooden - like a person - not Macbeth.

End With A Fizzle. Nothing like an ending that trails off. End your speech by thanking everybody again and going over the points you just made. Say, "Oh, and one more thing," about four times. This is the part where you need to talk about your book and your coaching services. And it's always a big hit to end with a question and answer session - especially if there are no questions. Nothing like a little good awkward silence. WRONG. The ending of your speech is the MOST important part. This is the part they will most likely remember most. End with a bang!!! Don't end with a bang, and then talk some more. Don't end with a bang, and then ask if they have any questions. End with a bang and stop talking.

Okay, there you have it - top ten mistakes motivational speakers make in their speeches. And I will admit, I stepped on my own toes in writing this article. But these are easy things to fix. They just take time and your attention. Being good takes work. Being better takes even more work. You have to practice. When everyone has gone home from the game, and the lights are off, and the bleachers are empty - be the one still standing there practicing your shots. I promise that every moment you spend on your speech adds one more unforgettable moment to your audience's experience. You have the talent, now go do the work.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Muzak Paso DMA2120: Intermittent/No Output





This can be a Muzak-top quality Paso MUDMA2120 amplifier. The amplifier has got the dreaded "intermittent-to-no-output" problem on 8 ohm, 25 volts, and 70 volts. The clip you ...

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Pyle Home PDIC60 250-Watt 6.5-Inch Two-Way In-Ceiling Speaker System (Pair) from Pyle

Pyle Home PDIC60 250-Watt 6.5-Inch Two-Way In-Ceiling Speaker System (Pair)
List Price : $108.99

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We've went to great measures to make certain we heard what you really need to see in a Pyle Home PDIC60 250-Watt 6.5-Inch Two-Way In-Ceiling Speaker System (Pair) just before constructing our model. our most recent version includes as many of those attributes as we could possibly create in it. When you're ready to buy a awesome product similar to this, you'd like to learn that the finances are going to be well spent. We're sure when you see every thing our completely new item is capable of doing, you will understand that it is definitely worth the every day low price We're marketing it for.

For more information Pyle Home PDIC60 250-Watt 6.5-Inch Two-Way In-Ceiling Speaker System (Pair) full review & compare prices

Pyle Home PDIC60 250-Watt 6.5-Inch Two-Way In-Ceiling Speaker System (Pair)

The Pyle Pro PDIC60 two-way in-ceiling speaker system delivers stereo sound to any room in your home or office without cluttering floor space. Each unit in the pair measures 6.5” round, equipped with a 1” high temperature voice coil and directable 1” titanium dome tweeter for a full, rich sound. These speakers pump out up to 250 watts max and are sold as a pair.

Feature

  • 6.5'' Midbass Speaker - 4-8 Ohm Impedance
  • 1'' High Temperature Voice Coil - Cut-Out Dimensions: 7 7/8'' Diameter x 2 3/4'' Depth
  • Directable 1'' Titanium Dome Tweeter - Overall Dimensions: 9'' Diameter x 2 3/4'' Depth
  • 250 Watts Rated Peak Power - Sold as a Pair
  • Frequency Response: 65Hz-22kHz

Monday, May 13, 2013

Speaker Demo 2





Another question in regards to the 70v line transformer hookup, and will the function simulate a area coil speaker.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Boss-PA paging systems Part 1





Boss-PA paging systems. written by Modular Display Corporation. 1535 Joshua st. Jordan Flatlands, Novaliches Q.C. Philippines. 9397636, 4184687. world wide web.modulardisplaypr...

Friday, May 10, 2013

How Limo Contractors Manufacture Custom Coach Stretch Limousines

Limo contractors perform a much more work than the majority of us realize to be able to produce a stretch limousine. This is because limos are custom made manually from stock cars. You will find no mass production lines, welding robots, or motorized auto-picking of parts so far as custom coach building is worried.

Here a few of the steps involved -- in no particular order -- that limousine producers undergo in developing a stretch limo.

First, they're buying a regular vehicle that's likely to be extended. While you may make a limousine from virtually any kind of vehicle, a few of the popular vehicle models employed for limousines are Lincoln subsequently Town Cars, Mercedes, BMWs, Comes Royces, Ford Activities, and Hummers.

The limo builder then strips the inside from the vehicle. They take away the rug, seats, interior vinyl top, and wires. With respect to the type of vehicle the electrical can be challenging to increase due to the complexness from the wiring between your dashboard and also the relaxation from the vehicle. Mercedes cars are well known for getting complex wiring systems.

The limousine manufacturer then masks the home windows, dashboard, door sections, and interior to avoid damage from cutting and welding sparks.

They mount the entire vehicle on rails with moving dollies. This can permit separating or "stretching" the vehicle after it's cut and simultaneously keep your two halves supported and aligned.

Next, temporary supporting braces are put into the frame to be able to prevent it from bending once the vehicle is cut. The load from the supporting steel along with the act of cutting may cause the metal to bend.

When the vehicle is cut these products -- at least -- are put into stretch the vehicle.
Extend the exhaust pipe.Attach new mounts and frame for that existing doorways.Add extended wires.Add new floor sections.Add extended frame structure.Add supporting steel to avoid the center area of the vehicle from sagging.Add extended ceiling sections.Add new mounts for added doorways.Increase the supporting structural steel and side sheet metal skin.For that interior these custom products are often added.
Interior bars.Inside seating.Shown roofs.TV sections.Loudspeakers and audio system.Compact disc and DVD gamers.Extended interior top.Electrical lines extended for lights, interior electrical disco lights, fog machine, etc.Finally, for that outdoors there's typically new carriage undercoating too final body try to lessen the welding edges along with a new coat of primer and fresh paint.

These are merely a couple of popular features of what limo contractors need to do to be able to develop a custom stretch limo which takes both you and your party out around town.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Building a Recording Studio

Studio Considerations

The magic of the recording studio has often mystified even the most seasoned professionals. With all the knobs, switches and buttons on various gear and large format consoles, no wonder confusion sets in to most non-techies. Many people, especially artists, composers, producers, and engineers, will end up putting together their own studio for writing and pre-production, with some eventually deciding to take the plunge and create a full-fledged recording complex that is capable of recording major albums. This article will try to shed some light on the considerations to take into account when making a studio, be it a small home studio or a professional recording studio.

Is size important? Some may say it is so but this is not always the case. The dimensions of the studio are very important. A room too large may become over-reverberant or full of unwanted echoes. A room too small may sound tight and unnatural. It is important that the room size and room sound is relevant to the type of music you are recording. You don't want to go into a very small tight room to record BIG rock drums. Although, big room sounds can be achieved by adding external reverb effects to simulate rooms at a later time when necessary.

It is best to find the room that suits the sound you are trying to achieve from the beginning of the recording process. The smaller the room, the smaller and tighter the sound will be; this is not necessarily a bad thing. Small tight rooms can be good for vocals, guitars and percussion if you are going for a tight clean sound. Larger rooms have more air for the sound to travel in, so it will be in fact a bigger more open sound. The sound has a longer travel time for the sound wave to move, therefore the reflection from the walls will take longer to bounce back creating a bigger more spacious sound. The decision of size and sound has to be made early on before the recording starts. One advantage that a larger room will have is the ability to be scaled down by closing up the room using modular baffles or gobos (go betweens). Gobos are structures that are partitions, that help to block sound by placing them in between the musicians, instruments, and microphones. Placing the gobos around the microphone at a close distance will help a large room with too much ambiance sound smaller. This will eliminate the reflections coming off of the walls that are further away.

Small rooms can produce big heavy tight sounds with the absence of the decay from the reverb that is caused from big rooms. Sometimes a large room can sound like it's washed out, or far away. With a good engineer any room can sound amazing with a little adjusting. A poor sounding room can be manipulated to sound good, although it requires much more work and time. Deciding on the proper room size for your needs is critical to the sounds that get re-produced. This will highly dictate the type of sound the microphones will pick up.

Clapping your hands in a room can give a good representation of what a room will sound like. The reflection coming off the walls will be picked up by a simple hand clap. The true test is to try out some instruments or vocals and position them in various sections of the room until reaching the optimum sound quality. If one side of the room sounds bad try a different spot or move around into a corner until the sound is improved.

Experimenting with different sections of the room also keeps the sound fresh when recording many instruments. If the acoustic guitars are recorded in the center of the room, when the time comes to record the electric guitars you may try recording them in a corner of the room for a different room sound. This gives clarity on the final mix creating separation and providing more distinction on various sounds.

If you are starting your own studio, remember that the bigger the studio the higher amount the bills will be. The benefit is that larger studios can charge more for their studio rates.

Getting the Necessities

If you happen to reach that elite 2% and become that million dollar, hit selling, famous producer or artist (or if you just win the lotto), then you might eventually think about buying serious studio gear and setting up your own producer paradise.

Acquiring the proper equipment and labor is key to a great studio and successful recordings. Studio gear is expensive and the knowledge of those who use the gear does not come cheap. Hiring the right people can save money and time in the long run. Studio designers also are specialty breeds that can make or break your studio. Your buddy Joe the carpenter may be able to help build it for less, yet if the studio is not properly isolated for sound it is a great waste of time, energy and finances.

The studio engineer is also the focal point of the sound that is created. Having an experienced engineer involved in the process will make your sound have a character of its own. He is the extra set of ears that gives another dimension to your productions. He is also a critical consulting partner when building or choosing to rent a studio. Let the experts help you with advice, it will create less of a headache in the long run. The experienced engineer can fill you in on all the equipment needed for recording the music that is relevant to your world. He can also give some guidelines on how the studio should be setup before having to consult a designer. There is no room for guessing or assumption on these issues.

Check List: Part 1

When purchasing studio gear it is wise to research only what is absolutely essential for your style of music. If you're not recording live drums in your studio, there is no need to buy a plethora of microphones for them. By being patient and shopping around for the best prices, a mass amount of money can be saved in the end. When you save to 0 bucks on each piece of gear it really adds up in the end, and there is a ton of gear needed to put a proper studio together.

Below is a basic studio checklist that will be discussed in further detail in later articles. These are the essentials of modern day recordings and the tools that are most commonly used in the best studios around the world.

The Studio Gear Checklist:

Recording / Mixing Console

The engineer or producer operates the console that controls all of the levels for recording, playback and mixing.

This is the big board that has all the buttons, switches, knobs, faders which control the levels and signal routing for each instrument. This could be referred to as a board, console or mixer. The most common consoles in major studios are SSL (Solid State Logic) or Neve. The console is the most important piece of gear in the studio. It controls the overall operations of signal flow and sound manipulation. The console allows for each instrument to be on its own channel on the board. Each channel may then have effects inserted into its signal path to enhance the sound. A signal may also be routed to external gear for further manipulation. Anything that can be imagined, can be done. There are no rules for experimenting with sound. A signal can be sent to reverbs, delays, compressors, guitar amps, speakers in hallways for re-recording

Each channel strip on a decent console will contain: Faders, Preamps, Panning, Equalization, Filters, a Routing Matrix, AUX Sends and Returns, Dynamics, Muting, & Solo.

Other Features Of The Console: Inserts, Outputs, Monitoring, Automation, Fader Grouping, Bussing, Splitting...

Patchbay

Allows the studio to combine interconnectivity with all the equipment by using patch cables. The patchbay can be configured for each studio's specific equipment requirements. All of the outboard gear, console and recording devices inputs and outputs are hard wired to the patchbay. The Patchbays can be be analog or digital. The most common is the bantam TT cable configurations.

Check List Part 2:

Microphones Microphones pickup the initial sound source. The mic is the first source in the recording process receiving and converting the sound wave into electrical energy to be amplified, transmitted and recorded.

Preamps Amplifies the original signal coming from the mic or instrument. Gives initial control of the recording levels. Preamps are located on the console or as external outboard gear.

DI Boxes The Direct box is used mainly for instruments such as keys and bass to be compatible with mic inputs. The DI box transforms line levels of instruments to mic level for console and preamp inputs.

Compressors Helps to further control levels and dynamics coming from the preamp or console. Usually comes in rack mounted outboard gear or software plugins for DAWs. Compressors keep levels from peaking into distortion levels and help to bring lower levels louder.

FX Processors For special effects like adding space, dimension, pitch and time delays on signals and recorded tracks. Usually comes in rack mounted outboard gear or software plugins for DAWs. Multi-FX processors may have reverb, delay, flangers, EQ, compression and more all in one unit.

FX Pedals Small floor foot pedals originally designed for guitar FX processing. These pedals are created for distortion and special effects, which add space, dimension, pitch and time on guitars mainly, but are an inexpensive alternative used as outboard gear for other instruments.

DAW The Digital Audio Workstation is like an entire studio inside of a computer. Protools, Logic and Nuendo are just a few DAWs that provide a digital multi-track recorder, a virtual console, a wide variety of effects, editing, and sequencing(musical programming) possibilities. The DAW uses software, hardware and computers in combination to operate.

Check List: Part 3

Control Surface The control surface acts as a console that controls a DAW or external machine. The control surface usually has faders, knobs and buttons that are controlled by the computer connected to a DAW. This makes operating the DAW similar to analog operations by being able to put your hands on faders instead of clicking a mouse. Some control surfaces have all the same features as a console. The most common control surfaces are made by Digidesign.

Clocking Digital recorders use different clocking formats to operate properly. Digital units sample the sound to be replicated. Clocking refers to the amount of time in between samples taken for reproduction. If the digital clocking is off it will sound jittery or add noise to the sound in the analog to digital conversion. A quality clock will improve the sound. Some common digital clock sources can be found in products made by Prism, Rosendahl, DCS, and Aardsync to name a few. Some clocks have sync generators built in to lock up with other machines.

Sync Generator Generates tones to allow communication between machines so that several recording devices can be synchronized together and operate at the same speed. Clocking works with synchronization (sync) when analog and digital equipment is combined. Sync uses SMPTE, MTC (midi time code), Midi Clock, MMC (midi machine control) to allow recording on several DAWs and tape machines to be linked up together.

CD Recorder Records and plays back compact discs. Gives the ability to record stereo mixes and playback these mixes on other CD players. CD standard for consumer playback is a sample rate of 16 bit and a sampling rate of 44.1kHz. Sony, Tascam, Alesis, and Yamaha all make good studio CD recorders.

Tape Machines Recording machines that use analog or digital tape for recording and playback of music. Some purists in sound recording prefer the sound of analog tape. There are many digital tape machines used for recording both music and video.

Cabling Literally miles of various cabling could be needed for a single studio. Common cables in sound reproduction are XLR balanced mic cables and Unbalanced 1/4 inch instrument cables.

Monitors / Amps Speakers in the studio are referred to as Monitors. Powerful clean amps are needed to run monitors. Many monitors are self powered, which means that they have built in amplifiers. Monitors usually consist of high frequency tweeters, low frequency woofers and cabinets that contain the speakers and components.

Headphones / Distribution By using a set of earphones this allows communication between the control room and the studio, also allows pre-recorded tracks to be heard during the overdubbing process. Headphones are also referred to as cans.

Instruments / Keyboards / Drums / Guitars These are more of the tools of the craft. You may have all the best studio gear in the world, but if the instruments sound bad you are starting in the wrong place. Anything could be considered an instrument if it makes noise that could possibly be recorded on a record.

Amplifiers This is often referred to as an amp. Amps increase the amplitude or volume of electrical signals from sound waves. These are used in powering speakers. Guitar and Bass amps can be used for many other applications such as running a vocal or snare drum through them.

Microphone Stands A wide variety of sizes and styles are needed for a proper studio. The mic stand helps to get the microphone placed properly for the best sound quality possible.

Studio Furniture There are many types of racks and furniture designed to hold consoles and outboard gear. The interior decoration of the studio completely sets the vibe of the working environment.

Electricity

Nothing will work without electricity unless you're jamming at the local drum circles down on the beach. Electrical installation studio power is often overlooked. Studios will setup a "clean feed" that is a separate breaker from the rest of the general power that is being used for air conditioning, lighting and the basic necessities of the rest of the building. Have you ever plugged something in and heard that horrific buzzing sound coming from the speakers or guitar amp? This is usually due to bad electrical wiring, which causes ground noise. This is the first thing to listen for when going in to a studio session. A simple solution to the problem would be to use a simple ground lifter on the gear or lift the ground from a direct box which can also solve the problems. We will go into details later.

Isolated electrical circuits for each individual room are a must in a recording studio. The proper amount of amperage is also a must. Not enough amperage will surely cause your breakers to blow. Consult with an Electrician who is familiar with studio setups to insure that wiring and voltage is regulated and conforming with local codes.

Unregulated Power Supplies (UPS) should also be in place just in case there is a power failure. This will insure that valuable equipment will not blow up or cause a fire. If there is a case of a power outage the UPS will provide enough time to backup important computer files and safely turn off your equipment. Some studios will have complete generator systems in place to keep the studio running for the remainder of the session.

Improper lighting can also cause buzzing ground issues, especially fluorescent bulbs. Avoid using these in any studio. Dimmers can also cause many problems. The average household dimmers will surely put a damper into a clean sound. Make sure that professional grade dimmers are installed to avoid ground noise. Always listen carefully to signals being recorded before committing to a final take. There are a countless number of accounts that the engineer discovers electrical noise on takes during the mix process.

If you are serious about your studio, may I suggest balance power or a separated panel with neutral power conditioning. The evil problems of ground issues are a direct reflection of sources returning or looking for a different ground. Voltage potential between neutral and ground will certainly change your way of looking at things... for example, .5 volts between neutral and ground is the maximum allowance by UL code that electronics will operate optimally without potential induction issues. I would suggest having a meter installed to rate this. Logging this information and having a good rapport with the local electric company would not hurt at all.

Air Conditioning/HVAC

This is another very important area that is often not considered. Studio gear gets very hot. The lack of adequate cooling could result in equipment failure or damage. Blowing up equipment is no fun and it gets very expensive. Some recording studios have a separate Machine Room for computers, tape machines and power amps that is highly air-conditioned to keep everything cool. This also cuts down on the noise from the fans on such units, which can distract concentration from listening in detail in the control room. Having too much air conditioning could also result in moisture or condensation build-up that may also damage the gear. Water in general is bad for electronic gear.

The return air system is used to pull heat out of needed areas and also provides an air intake for the AC units. These are placed in key areas where there is a build-up of heat from the gear, for example near the console or in the machine room.

Separate Rooms: Control Room

Most studios have several isolated areas for recording, mixing, and production. Soundproofing is the main agenda when creating multiple rooms in a studio. To achieve this, the main objective is to make the rooms airtight. If air cannot leak in or out of a room, there will be less chance of sound leaking in or out as well.

Most pro studios have double doors that create a sound lock to help prevent noise leakage. They also have very thick double walls with interior air gaps to also help trap unwanted sound. The floors in the studio should also be floated which means they are lifted from the ground to help further prevent extra vibrations and leakage.

The first focus would be the Control Room where the mixing console and outboard gear are contained. This is where all of the recording and mixing is controlled, hence control room. The acoustics in this room should be designed for hearing the exact sound that is being recorded or mixed. The sound of the room should be as natural as possible for accurate representation of the original sound translated to the speakers in the room.

The first rule for an appropriate acoustically treated room is that there should be no parallel walls .If you were to clap your hands in a room with hard parallel walls you would here the sound bouncing back and forth, this is known as a flutter echo. This is neither good for recording or mixing. The trapping of unwanted bass is important for a room to sound great as well. Twenty five percent of the room should be assigned for bass traps for an adequate mixing room.

Separate Rooms: Live Rooms

The next focus of equal importance would be the Live Room where the music is recorded. This is where the musicians and vocalists perform on the microphones. Live rooms should have more versatility to be able to adapt to different recording situations. Wood floors for example are great for reflection of sound, which creates a brighter tone. If a warmer tone is wanted, one could simply place a rug on the floor. Many live rooms also have a great deal of glass to see between rooms for communication. This is also very reflective. Many studios use curtains to control the amount of reflections coming off glass or hard walls. Non-parallel walls are again needed to eliminate any flutter echoes.

Some studios also contain a vocal booth within the live room. This would be a smaller room designed for vocals. They may also be used for guitar amps and other instruments. There are no rules for what this can be used for; its main purpose is for additional isolation during the recording process. Glass doors or windows are used for visibility of the artists and those working in the control room.

Many elaborate studios may have multiple control rooms and production suites. Lounges and proper bathroom facilities are important in keeping the creativity flowing. A dining area and kitchen are also a consideration if budgets permit. Many hours are spent in the studio when working on projects. It is important to have all the comforts of home to keep everyone happy.

A few proper offices are necessary for the client to be able to have private internet access and to handle business without any distractions. All studios are designed differently. Whatever can be imagined can be created. There are no rules, only guidelines.

Acoustics

Sound is a wave, much like the ripples on a still body of water when a rock is dropped into it. The larger the wave, the lower the tone. Lower tones, known as bass frequencies, travel in wide long waves while higher tones known as treble frequencies travel in a tighter, shorter wave. Frequencies heard by the human ear range from 20Hz to 20K. Just as an indication, a piano's range, probably the widest range of any instrument, is from 39Hz on the low note and 3Khz on the high note.

Sound is measured in decibels also represented as dB. An average concert is about 95-100 dB while a heavy rock concert or hip hop concert could reach levels of 130dB. This is above the threshold of pain; so don't forget to wear your earplugs which are designed to protect your hearing when in extreme sound levels. Interestingly enough, whales can actually produce levels of up to 180dB. It should be remembered that taking care of your ears is the most important thing you can do to prevent damage and have a sustained career. So don't hang out with any whales and put some protection in your ears when exposed to loud volumes.

Absorption is the act of a sound wave being soaked up by a particular material. This is measured by co-efficient ratings. The higher the sound absorption co-efficient rating, the more sound that is being eliminated from troubled spots in your room. Different section of the room may require different co-efficient ratings. Remember that studios start off as an empty shell. Hard surfaces and walls need treatment to provide for a great sounding room. For example, 20 gauge theater curtains are commonly used in studios. They consist of a thick velvet material, which is excellent for absorbing high-end frequencies. The thinner materials soak up higher frequencies.

The thicker materials soak up lower frequencies. This is why thick bass traps are very large and contain ports or holes to trap low-end frequencies. The larger the port, the lower the frequency absorption.

There are endless amounts of products and designs that are used in the industry. Wall panels are also commonly used to absorb sound. These are made from a fiberglass product wrapped in a cloth material. Various sizes and thickness are used for problem frequencies. Again the thin materials eliminate high end and thicker materials absorb low end.

Reflection is the opposite of absorption. Think of the sound as a wave hitting a mirror and bouncing back. This can be used as an advantage for a brighter tone. If a room has too much absorption causing the room to sound too dead, hard surfaces such as wood panels can be placed in strategic locations to add a more live sound to the room.

Some studios have reversible hanging panels that can be flipped between reflective and absorptive to change the room sound at will. For vocals the room may need a more dead sounding absorptive room. Drums may require a more live sounding room. John Bonham, from Led Zeppelin had an amazingly huge live reflective drum sound. This became the goal for the big Rock drum sound.

Prince is underestimated as a drummer. He has a great tight drum sound on his first record where he played all of the instruments as well as the drums. The drums have just the opposite effect using absorption in a small tight room creating a very in your face heavy Pop drum sound.

These are not rules, only guidelines. Using your ears is always the key to getting the best sound.

Designing a studio is quite an undertaking to do professionally. Each room is completely separated and isolated from one another. The most common method is to actually build a room inside of a room. The inner walls do not touch the outer walls, which creates an air gap that traps sound. Each wall can be many feet thick and multiple layers of thick glass and doors divide the rooms.

The floors in each room are floated from the ground with spacers that also create an air space to lower vibrations and help to trap unwanted sound leakage. All floors have different characteristics in the way sound waves bounce off from their surfaces. While wood floors have a warm tone, concrete and tile have a brighter tone. This also holds true for walls.

A solid plan is needed to run cabling between rooms so that each room can be interconnected with each other for microphone signal lines and headphone communication systems. Custom made cable troughs or PVC tubing is used to send groups of microphone cables from a panel to the control room. From the control room the Headphone lines would be run through the walls for communication between all of the rooms.

Materials and Tools

Drywall is needed for walls. The more layers of drywall added will increase the thickness of the studio walls. By using varying thicknesses of drywall stacked and shifted, alternating at the seams will help minimize sound transmission between rooms. Many drywall screws and a good electric drill will definitely come in handy if you are building a studio.

Fabric is used for making wall panels and ceiling clouds that control the absorption in the studio. There are specific fabrics that are designed for different frequency absorption. Each thickness and texture has varying co-efficient ratings at multiple frequency bands.

AC Duct Board and other fiberglass products are wrapped in fabric with spray glue to create absorbing panels called Wall Boxes and Bass Traps. Thermal Fiber or Fiberglass Insulation is inserted in between two sets of walls and ceiling to create an additional thickness providing an alternate texture, containing fiberglass, which is superb for capturing sound.

Sand is also an excellent alternative choice for filling walls to prevent sound wave transmission. Wood provides the skeleton for frames that hold the panels and boxes. Larger Bass Traps with large ports could be made from wood or fiberglass. RPG panels are a series of wooden slats mathematically designed to absorb and refract, or soak up and scatter sound inside a room. Wood can also be used to create custom racks to hold the outboard gear, console and patchbay. Custom studios can be designed for any situation and style.

Doors, Walls and Windows

Doors and walls are the single most important item where recording studio sound bleed is concerned. A small 1/4inch air gap at the bottom threshold of a door will release 30% of the sound. Creating airtight rooms are the first step in sealing all the gaps for optimum sound proofing. The transitions between where the rooms are connected have more possibilities for sound leakage. All corners, gaps and frames for door and window cutaways must be sealed with a silicon or caulking material. Keep in mind that if air can escape through any passage then sound will surely go through as well.