ARTICLE #1

Canada vs USA Warranties?

It almost seems like we are becoming more Americanized each and every day.  We love our American friends and their music, movies and food.  Yet, for some strange reason we are still a very different country with very different beliefs and a very different legal system.  The differences between our countries could be examined in many different ways but the end result will be that we are a totally different country period.  Canadians for the first time in history now require a passport to enter the USA.  Each day the media informs us of a new story about how different our legal system differs from the American Legal system.  The Canadain legal system is based on British common law and as such warranties offered by Canadian stores can only be offered to Canadian Customers and American Warranties can only be offered to American Customers for items purchased from their own respective country.

If a Canadian consumer were to purchase an item from the USA, he or she would have no legal recourse if they should have a warranty issue other than to ship it back to the country they purchased it from for any type of warranty service.  This may not seem like a big deal, but each time an item crosses the border, the person making the shipment becomes responsible for brokerage fees and duties and in most cases the item cannot be insured for damages when crossing the border.  Read all of the fine print and get a name and phone number of any persion who advises you that this is not the case.

One more tidbit of helpful advice......every piece of gear sold in North America has a serial number hidden somewhere inside or visibly labelled on the outside.  This serial number along with other other possibly hidden information will easily identify the country of origin for the product warranty.   If you bring your item to any warranty service center the serial number will be a dead giveway as to whether you will have to pay for a repair or have it done for free.  Warranty service centers do not get paid for work done for an out of country device.  Sometimes you may not even know that the item you purchased came from another country.  We have seen this to be a common practice in larger cities in Canada.  Some retailers in order to pad their pockets a little deeper have stooped to buying what is called "grey market" goods.  In other words they illegally imported products into the country from the USA or Mexico and then resell them inside Canada, so people will assume that they are covered by a Canadian Warranty.  In truth, these items will not be covered by any warranty whatsoever.

Ask the right questions and shop with trustworthy stores who offer a Canadian warranty and you will be assured a more peaceful nights sleep. 

Did you know many companies offer better warranties for Canadians than offered to other countries?

JBL Professional offers a 2 year unconditional warranty on items sold in Canada, however in the USA this is only a 1 year warranty.

Phonic Audio Equipment offers a 1 year unconditional warranty on items sold in Canada plus 2 additional years of parts and labour - only 1 year total for items in the USA

Wharfedale Pro Audio offers a 1 year unconditional warranty on items sold in Canada plus 2 additional years of parts and labour - only 1 year total for items in the USA.

These are just some illustrations of how differently each country offers warranty support for consumers.  If you want be sure that you have a warranty, make sure to ask for a copy of the warranty agreement before you buy.

Always remember.....the lowest price does not always add up to the best deal.

ARTICLE #2

Choosing the right speakers - Wattage vs Decibels

There are literally thousands of speakers available in the marketplace.  How do you know which model is right for your needs.  This tip sheet should prepare you to make the right decisions.

Wattage vs Decibels

It is unknown why so many people think that the loudness of a speaker is based on it's wattage.  Speaker wattage measures how much electrical signal is required from the amplifier so that the speaker operates efficiently.  If you want to measure how "loud" a speaker is, you must look at something else...the decibel rating of the speaker.

I can illustrate many examples where a 300 watt speaker is twice as loud as a 500watt speaker.  The wattage used by the speaker is meant to be matched to the power given by an amplifier.  A speaker with a highly efficient design will often require considerably less power than a non-efficient speaker.  This translates into having to spend far less on the amplifier.  Remember if you want to brag about how "loud" your speakers are....you should be talking decibels. :) Wattage is a rating for electrical signals and has nothing to do with sound volume.

2 Way vs 3 Way

Most bands and large performance venues prefer 3 way systems which can enhance vocal performances as they tend to accentuate the mid range frequencies.  Most DJ's tend to use 2 way systems for smaller setups as recorded music is already well balanced in the studio and the additional expense of a 3 way speaker is not generally required.

Subwoofers

Many people have become accustomed to the rich listening experience in their homes since the advent of affordable surround sound systems.  It is now expected that the same quality of sound is provided when they attend events in a club or social gathering.  Home surround systems utilize a subwoofer which is approximately 10 times the power rating of the satellite speakers.  Low bass frequencies gobble incredible amounts of electrical power.  If  you want your speakers to sound rich and full, you should really invest in a subwoofer or pair of subs to mate with your speakers.  Most pro users will use subwoofers that are at least double the power of their main speakers, nightclubs often have bass systems that are 10 times the power rating of their mid and high frequency speakers.  There are not very many situations where people will ask you to turn down the bass.  However they will certainly ask you to turn it up.  Subwoofers take the stress off your main speakers by doing all the low end heavy grunt work.  It is a worthwhile investment for anyone that requires sound that is full, rich and pleasing to the ears.  Many speakers can go extremely loud but will they sound good on their own?

Powered Speakers vs Non Powered (passive) Speakers

Powered Speakers - Powered speakers are designed and engineered to make our lives simpler.  They are often very easy to use and usually cut down on the number of trips we have to make to our vehicles.  Powered speakers can even be used as a standalone PA system just by plugging a microphone directly into the rear panel of the cabinet.  Simplicity of use is the cornerstone of a powered speaker however, even large complex outdoor concert systems are now using powered speakers and have been doing so for years.  Simply plug the speaker into your mixing console using a microphone (xlr) cable and then find a nearby power outlet and you are good to go.  Engineers at the manufacturing level have designed internal crossovers which ideally match the drivers and components of the speaker so that they are virtually fool proof.  Due to this higher degree of engineering it is generally accepted that powered speakers operate more efficiently than non powered or passive systems but they do not afford as much control as can be gained from Passive speakers.  Powered speakers while often more efficient have introduced a new wrinkle for operators.  They can often be the culprit of a ground loop.  A ground loop happens when different electrical devices are plugged into different power outlets in a building.  Just make sure you are plugged into common ground power outlets when using powered speakers or you may end up with a noticeable low level rumble coming from your speakers.  This low level rumble is referred to as a ground loop, while not dangerous to the gear or the user, it is often a frustration point for new users of powered speakers.  Anyone who has tried to hook up their home computer to their stereo may recognize this noticeable hum.

Non Powered (Passive) Speakers - Passive speakers require a "power amplifier" or "powered mixer" to provide them with a signal before they can produce sound.  Many factors can influence the final sound quality before it gets to the speaker including the speaker cables.  Passive speakers do offer more flexibility and control options when used in multiple venues, however they often require more equipment to operate.  A crossover may be required and configurations can get very complex when more than 2 speakers are involved.  Passive speakers are subject to a lot more risk of damage if the user is not fully trained in electrical signals and how they relate to the use of the gear.

All loudspeakers require that the user understand a variety of terms so that they can gain the greatest performance from their gear.  Many of these terms to follow are much more important to a passive speaker owner as it is critical to match the amplifier power properly to the rating of the speaker.  Powered speakers owners do not have to memorize these terms and specs but should have an understanding of the differences when looking at different options.

• Wattage - is a measurement of how much electrical power is required by the speaker to operate effectively. Speaker wattage has 3 important ratings which must be understood so that it can be matched with a properly sized amplifier.
• RMS Rating - (root mean square) This rating is an industry accepted power rating for all speakers.  This rating is performed with a test tone (the same sound you hear from the TV when your channel goes off air)  This test tells you that the speaker could run at this level forever, risk free if you just used the test tone.
• Continuous / Program Rating - This is a test performed using recorded music or other source material which has a variety of frequencies rather than a single tone.  This test is usually a pretty good indication of how the speaker would perform in the real world.  One drawback with this test is that there is no industry standard on what source material should be used in the test and it varies widely between manufacturers.
• Peak Rating - This is the maximum level that the speaker can achieve before it burns out or fails.  A speaker should never be operated at or near this level.  Peak equals meltdown and it can happen in the smallest fraction of one second.
• Ohms (impedance) - An amplifier will automatically adjust for the impedance (ohms) needed by the speaker.  Just be sure to find out the ohm rating for your speakers so that it can be matched properly to the amplifier.  Ohms is a measurement of resistance to electrical flow.  Most Passive speakers are generally 4 or 8 ohms.  Higher or lower impedances are fairly uncommon and are generally beyond the scope of this tip sheet.  However if you chain together a couple of 4 ohm subs on one channel of an amplifier, the amplifier would then have to be able to handle 2 ohm loads.  We will try and keep this tip sheet as easy to understand as possible so we will not be getting into complex setups which can greatly vary the impedance (ohm ratings) required.  It is not a good idea to mix and match speakers of different ohm ratings to the same amplifier unless you are fully confident with electrical series parallel connections.
• Max SPL (maximum sound pressure level) - This is an indication of how loud a speaker is just before it fails.  It does not relate to sound quality, merely it is an indication of how "loud" a speaker can be run before meltdown.
• Sensitivity - This rating measures efficiency of the speaker design and is a critical element of any speaker.  How well did the manufacturer match the components of the speaker? How well is the box constructed?  This test often separates the good from the bad.  If you don't see this rating, be a little skeptical about the integrity of the manufacturer.  This rating is measured in decibels and should be 97dB or higher for most pro level speakers.  An increase of 3 decibels in this rating is said to be twice as loud. 
  
  

  EXAMPLE
  Speaker A - 300 watts @ 8 ohms Sensitivity 103dB	Speaker B 300 watts @ 8 ohms Sensitivity 100 dB
  Speaker A is deemed twice as loud as speaker B due to its much higher efficiency rating (sensitivity) although, this rating does not have any impact on how good a speaker sounds.

  
  
• Frequency Response - It is recognized that most human hearing encompasses frequencies from 20Hz - 20,000Hz or 20kHz.  It is important that your speakers can reproduce as much of this spectrum as possible.  Subwoofers generally operate in the 20hz - 250hz range.  If you are using subwoofers, your main speakers will not have to work as hard at reproducing the low frequencies.
• Amplifier Match-Up - The industry accepted method of matching your amplifier to your speakers is as follows: Take a look at the RMS rating and Continuous Rating for your speaker.  Find the ohm rating for your speaker and look at the specs for the amplifier.  The rule of thumb is that your amplifier should provide more power than the RMS rating yet it should not exceed the continuous or program rating.  Running the speaker above the continuous rating is kind of like running a car engine above it's rated spec.  It will not fail immediately but it will wear down over time.
  
  

  EXAMPLE
  Speaker A - 4 ohms 500w RMS, 1000w Program, 2000w Peak Amplifier A should provide 750 RMS at 4 Ohms per channel	Speaker B - 8 ohms 300w RMS, 550w program, 800w Peak Amplifier B should provide 400w RMS at 8 ohms per channel

Most amplifiers have 2 channels so you should be looking at the ratings for "stereo" operation if you plan on connecting 1 speaker to each side of your amp.  This gives you left and right stereo sound.

Subwoofers can be run in mono mode and do not require stereo separation for most applications.

Choosing the right speaker will generally be based on your needs and how you plan to use the speakers.  If you want complete control over every facet of your sound, passive speakers will likely be your choice.  If you are looking for simplicity, ease of use and a few less trips loading in and loading out, then chances are you will be grabbin

ARTICLE #3

CSA Approval - What is it?

You will note that we offer CSA approval on every product that we sell in Canada where applicable. 

CSA is a short form name for the Canadian Standards Association, an orgranization which tests and approves everything from Hockey Helmets to Automobiles, to electrical devices.  Any item which could adversely affect the health or welfare of someone living in Canada. 

Many countries have similar testing agencies, however CSA is regarded as one of the best in the world.  Many of the products we sell are electrical in nature and by making sure that your products are CSA approved you can rest assured that they are safe to use and will not cause harm to you or others who operate these items.  These days many manufactured goods come from overseas markets and offer little to no quality control, let alone safety features. 

CSA testing is performed on every item we sell to make sure that the products are safe.  This testing does cost a little extra per item, but the benefits can be huge. 

For instance.... did you know... that if you are the owner of a product which is not CSA approved and that item is proven to be the cause of a fire that you personally can be held responsible for all damages and insurance claims.  Many stores do not force their suppliers to ensure that the products they sell are CSA approved,  We believe that making our customers safe is a number one priority and have been working with every one of our suppliers for many years to make sure that their products meet CSA standards.  If you would like to know more about CSA testing and standards please visit their website.

http://www.csa.ca

Article #4

Digital Media Players

The latest and greatest technology for commercial music playback is the advent of digital media players.  Simple operation, blazing fast load times and cheap storage are the cornerstone of these new devices for use in churches, schools, dj's, aerobics and dance instructors, studio and production environments.  Digital medial players are popping up everywhere in shopping malls, retail environments and live performance venues where solid uninterrupted music is required.  Digital medial players feature no moving parts to break down and media (music and video) are stored on SD media cards or a similar type of solid state storage medium.  Digital Media players also feature a couple of nice features not available to those who use computers for music playback.  Media is based on solid state SD cards (the same type of cards found in many digital cameras) and with no moving parts this media is virtually skip-proof.  Digital media players also do not require the use of a computer for operation and thereby eliminate the dreaded curse of computer crashes in live environments.

Digital media players and systems which incorporate digital media are quickly becoming the industry standard for music and video playback.  Manufacturers have been successfully selling these units for over a year and now many devices incorporate both digital media playback and live recording functions.

Some of the more noteable products that have come to market in the past year for music play back include the following:

• American Audio SDJ1 - Dual drive SD media player with pitch control.
• American Audio SDJ2 - Dual drive SD media player with pitchcontrol and integrated audio mixer and mic input.
• American Audio Media Operator - Single Drive SD media player in a one Rack unit configuration with pitch control and mic input.
• Numark IDJ2 - Ipod based DJ mixing system with beetkeeper and the ability to mix IPOD video.

Very simple to use and operate Digital media player owners can compile all of their favourite music on any home based PC with USB input and then copy the data over to the SD card for playback.  SD cards in the 10-15 dollar price range can handle almost 10,000 songs and make it much easier to divide complete music collections by style, genre, bpm by using media folders or by using multiple cards for each type of category.  Media folder names and song/video titles appear in the playback display and further eliminate the need to carry around massive index books to identify song locations.

Join the transition away from computer based music playback to a solid state love affair which marries convenience, very low cost storage and the ultimate in portability.