Going green, or being sustainable seem to be trendy names these days as the society has done everything to change products so that they’ll have a more environment friendly appeal. Today there are electric cars, solar panel housing, and recycling centers for all types of materials (cardboard, paper, aluminum, and electronics) and with all this green hysteria it appears that technology has put another strong green foot forward with the development of OLED or electronic light emitting diode television screens. No the OLED isn’t a new surging brand market name, but a type of television screen that in a few years will strongly compete with the common LCD, liquid crystal displays and plasma television screens.

So what is OLED and how does it work?

Well, OLED works with a series of electroluminescent layers composed of a film of organic compounds which are placed between two electrical conductors. Electrical current is applied to the conductors and a bright light is emitted from the film.

What are the advantages of an OLED television compared to an LCD television?

The first advantage of an OLED television is that unlike LCD televisions it does not have a backlight. This means that an OLED television can have deeper black levels and be thinner and much lighter. Some screens measure to be 3mm thick which is a futuristic contrast to the clunky big LCD screen televisions. OLED televisions also have a faster refresh rate, better contrast and better color reproduction. OLEDs have higher natural contrast ratios because they use cold cathode fluorescent lamps. The greater artificial contrast ratio is measured in primarily dark conditioned settings. Another advantage of OLED televisions is the viewing angle. An OLED has an almost 190 degree viewing angle as the color pixels don’t seem to shift with the viewers position to the screen.

One of the biggest advantages of an OLED television is the decrease in power consumption. The OLED is a green friendly innovation which consumes no light and therefore doesn’t need to power a backlight. They also contain no bad metals in order to be produced. They’re organic illuminating machines, which continue to challenge the future of television screen technology. With OLED it might not be a surprise to see flexible and transparent screens which can be rolled up to make a circle and appear almost invisible when not in use. What appears to be a bare wall can transform into a mega big screen entertainment center with the click of a switch.

OLED screens are already being used for commercial products such as cell phone screens, digital audio players, car radios and digital cameras but it is just a matter of time before this green technology explodes on the scene for the general television consumer. What a world it will be when OLED television screens are used for anything from a family television set, to a portable visual screen for a tee shirt. With OLED television technology going green will become more and more of an increasing trend due to the visual capabilities accompanied by innovative environmental practice.

Take a look at Atacama’s range of TV Stands to compliment your brand new TV.

Every year, the shows displaying the world’s latest and most exciting technology offer consumers a glimpse into the future. Some time ago, the HD television sets must have been thrilling show pieces. Today, they are a fixture in so many homes that they are barely worth mentioning. However, there is no shortage of hopes and dreams of the tech-obsessed consumer. One of the latest crazes – which is one of the oldest crazes – is 3D technology. In actuality, it may be in homes much sooner than most people think.

Why All the Fuss?

You can call it a coincidence or just a happy accident, but it seems more than a little curious that this phenomenon is on the brink of mass distribution just when the biggest movie of all time is using 3D technology. There is no reason to dream up a conspiracy theory, however. As far back as the 1950s, movie theaters were filled with bobby soxers getting their fill of 3D films. Would the clumsy UFOs land on earth and attack the local citizens? Would the Martians wandering across the cardboard cutout landscape take over and alter life forever as we know it? These now hilarious concepts were preoccupying moviegoers back then, who were more than happy to strap on their 3D glasses and visit this strange and enchanting world.

So now, more than half a century has passed. Do viewers still need those hokey glasses to see a 3D film? The answer is yes, but the difference is in the work itself. Anyone who has been near a newspaper or television set in recent times is aware of the fact that Avatar is the most expensive film ever made and was crafted using this 3D technology. The reviews are overwhelmingly positive and the Avatar craze has definitively swept the world. The next step, as all would anticipate, would be to enjoy this same experience within the home. When will it arrive?

The Latest Notices on 3D Tech at Home

The arrival of 3D tech in the home is in many ways like the arrival of most other impossibly sophisticated concepts. You wait and wait, but they never seem to arrive. Then one day a company figures out a way to get it done and the lid is blown off the project. Before anyone knows it, they are accepting deposits on 3D home projectors in advance of the date they go on sale. Then the public sits back and sees if this version of the technology is enough to carry the day for good.

While most people thought 3D tech would arrive in the home around 2015 or after, that date has been pushed up considerably. In fact, everyone is already jockeying for position, especially the television networks. If the technology exists, what will people watch? Avatar cannot captivate the world, forever, so there must be a regular slate of programming to accommodate this demand. It seems like the most natural subjects will be the first to get their shot in 3D: space travel, nature and – oh yeah – sports. The technology is apparently already in place, so the day the equipment goes into mass production and ends up in homes, there will be material to watch.

With sports, there will naturally be an endless supply of material, with the audience clamoring for more every day if the returns are as expected. Most people have a limited amount of time and energy for nature programming: it is awe-inspiring, but in the end it doesn’t hold one’s interest for good. Hence the fact that none of the major networks have yet to cut local news programs so they can be replaced by Shots From the Sahara or another vision of an exotic locale. In that respect, when critics say that Avatar has changed cinema forever, they may be right. Once a large number of homes are ready for it, filmmakers will want to get their movies onto those screens.

The Technology Already in Existence

Most people are not surprised to hear that 3D television sets have already been produced and have been on display at a number of the tech shows around the world. However, what about the brilliant HD TV that many people have only recently bought? Well, it’s true that the tech habit can be an expensive one. As soon as a newer, better form of the same product becomes available, people begin wondering what to do with the ‘old’ one. Can HD TV sets be transformed into 3D-capable machines? While some companies have tried to pull off this trick, the only realistic solution seems to be creating an entirely new 3D model TV. Shortcuts may be possible, but it will probably complicate things and end up delivering less than ideal results.

So anyone looking to jump on board will have to shed their equipment and take a step up into the 3D world from scratch. Fortunately, analysts expect the effect to be similar to that of switching from normal television sets to HD TV. One day, you are watching a film or sporting event and want to yawn, the next day you are wondering where all the magic came from while you see it in HD. The 3D format will take it to the point where a ball will literally seem to fly into one’s plane of vision, or a car drive into the living room. While HD televisions and programming made everything clearer and more thrilling, it could not bring the action into one’s personal space.

The skeptics will appear and campaign against such a format, citing the nausea-inducing effects 3D technology can have. Some people do get a little queasy when watching a 3D film, and as of yet, glasses are guaranteed to be part of the bargain. The question may be whether or not enough people will be willing to don the glasses and sit back on the couch being moved to and fro by an action hero or football star. In the world of video games, the answer has already been a resounding ‘yes.’ Most 3D developers are banking on the same verdict in households everywhere with regular television programming.

No matter when or how 3DTV reaches our living rooms, you can rely on Atacama Audio to provide the best TV Stands for you to place it on!

For many people on the planet, the way music is bought and distributed these days could never have been predicted. Just twenty years ago, most of the public was happy that LPs were starting to die out and welcomed the cassette tape with open arms. Not long after, compact discs rendered the tapes obsolete and were the de facto choice of music enthusiasts. LP record revivals notwithstanding, the CD has definitely changed the course of music for good. It eclipsed all other forms of music reproduction.

That is, until it was eclipsed by digital music files which are bought and shared on computers. Where can one buy a CD these days? Music stores are quickly becoming dinosaurs, with one after the other going out of business and closing their doors. The big cities of the world have all gotten a little stranger without the formerly ubiquitous CD store. The record labels have more or less died as well – yet, music is more accessible and more popular than ever.

For the real music lover, there is no shortage of enthusiasm for almost every facet of the recording industry. From learning how the sessions were done – and in what studio – to the instruments used, there are so many different ways to learn more about a recording and take it all in. The fascination with recorded sound is hard to dispute and at times it can be just as interesting as the artists themselves. How did it all come about? Looking over the history of recorded music is to take a remarkable trip through time.

The Original Maverick – the LP

Considering the astounding run of the long-playing record – still the medium of choice for most DJs – it is nearly impossible to overstate the LP’s importance to the world for the last 100-plus years. The original phonograph was invented by Thomas Edison (who else?) in the late 1870s and played a bulky cylinder which housed recordings. Once the system of playback was improved with the gramophone disc, the world began to flood with records. To imagine a world before recorded music is difficult to do these days, yet it is easy to imagine the demand which came for these receptacles of sound.

Many who are familiar with records will recognize the first form of mass-produced discs, the 78 rpm record. Rather bulky and somewhere in between a standard LP record and a 7” single, the 78 shellac reigned from the early days of the 20^th century until the 1950s. The invention of the microgroove extended the capacity for record lengths. Now, instead of having one session in order to produce 3 or 4 singles (of 2:30-3:30 minutes in length), the idea of a concept album emerged. Songs could be longer and they could all be tied together and packaged on a single disc. Naturally, the effects on music were astounding. Taking a quick look at jazz music from the period is the perfect illustration. Going from Charlie Parker’s brisk one-liners to John Coltrane’s long paragraphs in such a short time would have been impossible without the LP advances.

Tapes Arrive and Get Supplanted

With the imposing reign by the LP in mind, it’s difficult to see the need for the move to other mediums. However, the cassette tape had existed for decades before making its move in the late 1970s. Even though they are much less ubiquitous than LP records these days, cassette tapes dominated in the music industry for nearly two decades. The basic reasons can be easily understood. For one, the obsession with things getting smaller was popular in the 1960s and after. Cassette tapes were a perfect example of this phenomenon. Another big reason is mobility. Carrying a record player or driving along with a spinning disc is impossible. Tapes were set and could not skip once they were inserted in their players.

Perhaps even bigger than the mobility and size factors was the ability to record music on tapes. The piracy and sharing of today has its origins in that era. Whereas a record could not be copied – and therefore had to be purchased to be enjoyed – the tape could duplicate a record’s contents, as well as another tape. Even though tapes diminished in quality from the transfer, records quickly fell out of style.

That is, until the CD swiftly eliminated tapes from the collective unconscious. The quality of the material and the slim format were doubted by many at first, but the compact disc produced a remarkable sound never heard before in a mass-produced medium. All of the complaints heard about tapes were overcome by CDs. No more hiss, no more tangled film – in many ways, the CD was the Space Age equivalent of the record, with no needles and sticking if it was cared for properly.

Can a Computer Do That?

While the naysayers were out in full force for years as computers developed the technology to receive and play music, even the believers could not have imagined the way music is being bought and listened to these days. To imagine a world without dominant record labels was probably once a dream of exploited musicians; yet no one thought it could happen so quickly. The battles waged over sharing over the years came and went, with the listener ending up in control. Those who predicted the musicians would lose out were ultimately mistaken. Never has access to music been so simple, so universal. The names and songs of previously obscure musicians can travel around the world in seconds today. All you need to do is hook up your laptop to a hifi rack and you can listen to any number of your favourite bands from the comfort of your sitting room.

Spotify is the latest company to make an advance in the world of music circulated online. Eliminating the time usually spent waiting for a track to arrive on a computer, Spotify allows instant access from a catalogue of impressive proportions. Transporting music may no longer be necessary, as long as internet service can be guaranteed. The history of music is literally a click away. Edison may not have been able to visualize such a path from his old phonograph, but it’s doubtful he would be entirely surprised.

The modern home is a place full of advanced electronics equipment serving a vast universe of different purposes: some gadgets are there to help us stay in touch, others to help us stay entertained, and so on. When it comes to entertainment, these days everybody is excited about putting together a full performance, fully diversified home theater and surround sound system. These systems imply a lot of hardware and accessories that have the potential to turn your home living or TV room into a truly magnificent and imposing place; of course, to be able to accommodate all of this equipment it is important to have a place for them to be housed, and that means having a variety of home stereo system and entertainment equipment furniture.

A top notch home theater system means having a variety of audio and video equipment, and each different item will need to occupy its own distinct place within the room. A few of the consoles may be able to be fit together on a stand, however speakers will need to be distributed throughout the room to create the desired surround sound effect. Let’s take a look at each of these considerations on an individual basis.

The type of furniture for housing your varied equipment is alternatively known as Hi Fi racks or audio racks. The design and functionality of these items has come a long way over the years: back in the 70s and 80s, these racks were usually closed-in as though they were a regular old closet or cabinet; these days, however, racks of this sort are usually manufactured as open-air sets. That’s because your audio equipment needs to breathe—there must be a constant airflow over the equipment to keep it at the proper temperature, thereby assuring that it will not overheat and that the equipment’s lifespan will be extended as much as possible. Open-air sets, in this same vein, help prevent sudden shutdowns of your audio equipment, which happens when overheating occurs.

The design features of today’s audio or Hi Fi racks has evolved tremendously, and the favorite manufacturers on the market today have the latest in home design and furniture trends in mind when it comes time to develop a new line. Sleek designs with modern looking, minimalist curves and surfaces are the trend of the moment. Of course, design considerations have to yield to functionality: such racks must have very solid, very flat and level shelves to be able to fully optimize the audio equipment that will be housed within. The slightest gradient in the shelving or the presence of sub-standard, flimsy materials will completely compromise the audio performance of the equipment and decrease the value and appeal of your home theater system.

The top of the stand may or may not be equipped to rest a TV set. Some racks will include this option and may very well be quite wide to accommodate the latest developments in flat screen sets, which seem to get wider and wider without stop. Then again, many people opt for an independent TV stand. Features of such TV stands may include built-in cable canals or back-prop support frames or structures for tall or bulky TV sets that need more support than merely the flat surface beneath them.

Moving on, the next major consideration will be how and where to set up your speakers. Knowing what height and what arrangement to put your speakers in will largely determine the success of your home entertainment system, as many people associate the surround sound effect with the best in home entertainment. The best models of speaker stands will virtually entirely prevent the noise and vibrations coming from the speakers from being lost through friction, something which occurs when the stand is either not level, not isolated from the ground properly, or for a variety of other factors. Anybody that has turned their audio up to full blast knows that some incredibly violent friction and vibrations can be produced as a result, making a terrible racket that detracts from the pleasure of the music being heard or the movie being watched.

To overcome these problems, speaker stands need to be heavy duty. The heavier the material from which the stand is made, the better the chances of it not succumbing to such vibrations. Yet weight is not enough here—there also needs to be proper isolation of the stand from the floor. The best stands use rubber or polyurethane pads at the contact with the floor to deaden such friction, and furthermore similar materials are usually employed on the base plate where the speaker is to be mounted. Again, flatness is a crucial aspect that helps boost audio performance.

Finding the right height for your variety of speakers is also a really important aspect, and the speaker stands you buy should reflect the final arrangement. It was discovered back a few decades ago that speakers perform much better when they are not left on the floor; however, not every kind of speaker should be at the same height. Low frequency woofers and sub-woofers should be low down to the ground, whereas mid-range speakers should be more or less at head-height of the people sitting down watching a movie; finally, the high frequency tweeters should be just above this, only a few inches above ear-level or less. This variation of heights will add depth and complexity to your home audio and theater system, and will make everything you listen to sound that much more enjoyable. Hence, the speaker stands you invest in should either come at just the right height or, more likely, allow for a certain amount of height adjustment within a predetermined range. A few other features to keep in mind that will prove useful may include cable concealment and a generally pleasant appearance, though always remember that the sturdiness of the materials is the most important attribute.

There is more to the world of functional furniture for your audio and home theater systems, though if you start with this you are sure to be heading down the right path.

Modern home appliances and electronics equipment come in so many different forms that it can be incredibly easy to get lost in all the variety.  When it comes to putting together a first rate home theater and stereo system there’s no exception: a million and one different models and brands clutter the market, and buyers are left scratching their heads for a good long while before making what is in most cases a fairly arbitrary and random decision as to what to buy (well, some people surely do their research and make more informed decisions, but they are by no means the majority).  What a lot of such buyers don’t have in mind when they go ahead and buy the various hardware components that will make up their theater and audio systems is that they will need quality furniture to make everything function properly: to house their equipment neatly on the one hand and, more importantly, to ensure that the audio quality emitted by the equipment is no less than optimum.

Considering the fact that the average home stereo system today forms part of a broader home theater system that includes a lot of different gear, such furniture needs to be spacious and have the ability of adding on new extensions to accommodate future purchases.  Hence, keep an eye out for models that have the capacity to expand, with apertures that will serve for adding new shelf space and which can stack up and out.  This will mean being able to accommodate a variety of different items with varying heights inside, so if you change a given audio console out for another after a new purchase you won’t have to go and buy a new furniture item to house it.

For the housing of your main audio consoles, such as the pre amp, the audio sources, radio equipment, tuners, and so on, you will want a modern high performance audio rack (also known as a Hi Fi rack).  This is the item described above, which should ideally be able to be expanded and modified in a variety of ways.  In addition to this particular feature (definitely a priority), you will want to make sure that the rack is nice and sturdy—important not only because the equipment inside can be quite heavy, but furthermore because there should be minimal to zero possibility for the audio vibrations to affect the equipment’s functioning.  This idea is really taken to the extreme in some models of Hi Fi racks where each shelf is rendered completely independent of the rest through ball bearings and the inclusion of some variety of synthetic, high density material such as polyurethane at the contact points that further eliminates vibration interference.  These features collectively deaden and dampen vibrations, and they are absolutely fundamental to the proper functioning of your main audio hardware.

As the TV is the natural and necessary complement to any audio system, you will want to consider furniture for it as well.  Of course, if your TV is mounted on the wall there isn’t much to discuss here, and the audio racks mentioned above can neatly be tucked beneath such a wall-mount arrangement to create a tidy entertainment section of the home.  However, for those that don’t go the wall-mount path may want to look into investing in a TV stand that will furthermore likely be able to house some if not all of your audio equipment (depending on the size of the stand and the amount of equipment you have, of course).  There is a model of stand to meet whatever needs you may have and whatever model TV you may have: there are models that are nice and wide to accommodate big screens yet that don’t protrude far from the wall to match the dimensions of a flat screen set: then there are other models that are more apt for use with a normal tube TV.  The amount of shelves beneath varies greatly, with some offering enough space for all the other audio consoles as mentioned.  If this is the option you choose, you will again want to make sure that the shelves are very strong and resistant; this is especially true if your TV has built in speakers that will be used, as the vibrations emanating from the speakers will have the ability of providing vibration interference as mentioned above.

One of the easier and more affordable ways to improve the audio performance of your home system was discovered back in the ‘80s—simply elevating the speakers off the ground, that is.  This again implies the necessity of appropriate furniture in the form of speaker stands.  Such stands come in a variety of models and prices, and the best (also the more costly) are incredibly sturdy, again to eliminate vibration related problems that detract from audio quality.  The preferred materials for such stands are either steel or thick glass though a few other varieties may be found, some in plastics.  In addition to the strength of the stand shaft itself, the two crucial points to be optimized are at the top and bottom, where contact with the speaker itself and the floor occurs, respectively.  Good stands will come with appropriate rubber pads or similar isolation measures, however there are many accessories to be bought that can help you improve these problem areas on your speakers stands.

For example, there are accessories known as floor spikes that help deaden any vibrations being passed on from the speaker stand, and these floor spikes will differ depending on the kind of flooring you have installed in your home—carpeting will require a different kind than wood or laminate floors, so be sure you get your hands on the right item. 

Another very interesting product is high density filler for your speaker stands.  This is a generally synthetic product which you apply to your stands to load on mass, giving the stand more weight and reducing the chance of vibration issues, available in a variety of colors. 

For many people, the day starts and ends with music. More than something to dance to or something to clear the head, music supplies cues and subtexts unrecognizable to another observer. Like the soundtrack to a film, there is plenty going on behind the music. These music lovers can be spotted plugged in at all hours, whether walking down the street, riding the bus on the way to work or eating lunch at a local café. They live among us and blend into society rather seamlessly, if a little detachedly.

An audiophile, on the other hand, is a rarer sort of bird, one not comfortable with many of the means through which music is transferred to the listener. Audiophiles are concerned with the process of sound transmission itself and go out of their way to find the HiFi equipment that will deliver the best sound. Audiophiles in many ways are seeking perfection, or at least the closest possible thing to it in sound reproduction. This pursuit requires an examination of each part of the equation, not least of which is how audio components are housed. To achieve the best possible sound, an audiophile needs a great HiFi stand. Here are the reasons why audiophiles love these stands.

Isolation of components: The key to an idealized sound is the ability to isolate the components from any vibrations that are coming from the ground up. Substantial dampening is involved and HiFi stands all approach this goal in one way or another. The types of isolation caps used are important, as the ability to reduce the friction caused by surface area contact will depend on them. Sonic characteristics are improved by each of these factors, as opposed to the typical method of storing audio components which takes them into account only halfheartedly.

The dedication to improvement: As technology improves and demands by audiophiles increase, the capabilities of HiFi stands are improving right along with them. It’s as if audiophile’s requests are heard and answered beforehand. One example is the newest design in gasket technology which has improved the dampening capabilities of the top HiFi stands dramatically. Another example revolves around the actual legs of the stands. Whereas once ringing had been a problem, the new technique using foam materials has been able to cut down on this type of interference.

Stand design: While the technology of the equipment has been improving all along, the manufacturers of the best HiFi stands have been keeping up with style as well. Audiophiles who are looking to upgrade to a new stand will never have to worry about the design factor. Attractive rack styles of exquisite materials are being coupled with intriguing color combinations. There is never a worry about taste when planning to add a diamond white rack with piano glass shelving to a home. The marriage of superior sound and beautiful looks make these stands the type of upgrade that any visitor will admire.

Flexibility: Trying to put a cap on the amount of equipment an audiophile might acquire is next to impossible. There always seem to be new products coming onto the market that could improve a sound system. With a HiFi stand, having a certain amount of flexibility is important. Some stands which start out with 3 or 4 shelves could be expanded to hold 6 shelves or more. This type of flexibility will keep the pursuit of sound perfection unfettered, without requiring a new stand or more space to be used up. Different color options are available as well. Since a room which receives a lot of natural light may not be ideal for a black stand, silver and diamond white designs will create a more dramatic effect.

Durability: Audiophiles are obsessed with quality, and the construction of the shelves and legs of HiFi stands are built with these high standards in mind. Along with providing the fundamentals of high quality sound, the craftsmanship is resistant to the effects of normal usage. Investing in a HiFi stand should never be considered short term; the finest manufacturers understand this commitment to quality and construct their products accordingly. As lovers of analog equipment would agree, there is nothing wrong with something being old as long as its appeal has withstood the test of time.

The 3 S’s: The old cliché tying real estate to 3 things – all of which are location – can be applied to HiFi stands and sound quality. Sound, sound and sound are the top 3 concerns of audiophiles, all of which are the primary concerns of stand manufacturers. Testing out a new model compared to the older stands is never a perfect method. Ideally, anyone in the market for a new stand can test a number of them against one another to get an idea of just how special a stand’s design is. Also, try to get a detailed explanation of any new features that seem a little obscure. At times, the flash of a new mechanism may outweigh its impact on the overall sound. Audiophiles are familiar with the hyperactive marketing of less than stunning new features.

Ability to reduce the clutter of the room: With the number of components being stacked up in a HiFi stand, there is bound to be a pile of wires involved to connect them to one another. HiFi stands offer a solution to the clutter problem so many rooms can have with wiring. At the back of the stands are well-designed paths for a high number of cables to travel. Even if there are five or six components stacked on top of one another – with all of the requisite wiring – the area will not look like a an old-fashioned computer center. Again, the ability of stand designers to keep up with style while providing the best in sound management is something all audiophiles will appreciate.

Whether or not one identifies him or herself as an audiophile, these HiFi stands will create a marked improvement over any system of shelving that exists in the home. As style and functionality are both well represented, it is a good time for anyone interested in excellent design to check out the latest options.

As technology grows and changes, so does the home stereo. It seems what was popular and the “hot new item” 10 years ago, is the antique relic of today when it comes to the rapidly changing world of entertainment technology. There are home stereos of all sizes, for all types of listeners from those who dedicate room(s) of their home to mini theater-like setups, to those who have a couple of speakers and a CD player. Regardless of the amount of work put into the hardware, what these people all have in common is a passion for the sounds that come out of the stereo- the music that so greatly influences and enhances their lives.

What more and more music aficionados are discovering is that not only the equipment but the furniture it is kept in/on can make a huge difference in the quality of the listening experience. A new type of product is becoming increasingly popular, that of audio furniture. These pieces don’t just provide a stylish new home for stereo equipment; they give it a performance boost to boot. That’s not something any old entertainment cabinet can say. Here are some examples of what’s out there now.

One of the best pieces of furniture to improve the sound quality of a home stereo system is a Hi-fi stand. The term hi-fi, or high fidelity, refers very briefly to the quality of sound and image reproduction achieved by an audio/AV system. The concept of a current, home, hi-fi setup involves digital audio sources like CD players, digital audio tape, digital audio broadcasting (like HD Radio tuners), an amp, pre amp, and loudspeakers. What exactly do these hi-fi stands provide? Hi-fi stands come equipped with thick, isolated, shelves made of glass, or other incredibly sturdy materials that provide for vibration dampening, deadening, and leveling. The ideal stand should have an open-air design to help increase the lifespan of sound equipment by preventing overheating- which ultimately results in the equipment breaking down prematurely. Often the shelves may appear to be “floating,” which means vibration interference will be at a minimum.

As a home’s collection of quality high definition equipment grows, many hi-fi stands are able to expand with it. Choose from hi-fi stands that stack and expand, allowing a quick solution to space issues. For those just beginning to build a stereo system, start with a base 2-shelf unit and let the stereo system grow from there. It’s a welcome alternative compared to growing into a larger entertainment until that sits empty for months or years, or buying new stereo furniture all the time. For those who already have specialized equipment, the shelves of these versatile storage units can be raised and lifted to accommodate even the bulkiest digital audio device. The convenience of stackable units is this flexibility to add and subtract height from the stand.

For those with wall-mount flat-screen television units, the hi-fi stand is a modern way to display connected audio and DVD equipment without adding a bulky piece of furniture to the room- part of the idea of having a wall-mount! Hi-fi stands are sold online, and in stores where high-end sound equipment is sold. When looking to upgrade audio equipment storage to a hi-fi stand, be sure to consider the specific needs and quality of the existing stereo system.

For those looking for a quick and affordable way to boost sound performance, speaker stands can be a great place to start when considering audio furniture for the home. As discovered in the 80’s, the simple action of lifting a speaker off the floor improves its sound quality and performance immeasurably. Domestic furniture and floors carry vibrations which have a negative effect on the sound being produced. In order to cancel this effect out, the modern speaker stand has been designed to function as a sonically dead column, on which speakers can be isolated, lifted and mounted.

Speaker stand technology has improved drastically- far beyond just lifting a speaker into the air- and now there are many aesthetically pleasing brands and styles on the market that will not only optimize speaker performance, but enhance the look and ambience of any living or entertainment room.

The most important qualities in a speaker stand are stiffness and stability. The best materials are rigid like steel or thick glass. The flat top plate of a speaker stand supports the speaker with rubber padding, which further serves to eliminate vibrations. The proper height for speakers and tweeters is of utmost importance (they should be at ear level) and speaker stands allow for the perfect height adjustment. Another big element when optimizing sound is getting the speakers in exactly the right positions as related to the listener. Putting the speaker on a stands allows for the kind of fine-tuning and adjustment necessary to really get the best hi-fi sound out of a stereo system. These simple stands make for an affordable way to quickly and easily improve the sound quality of a home hi-fi stereo system.

The latest evolutionary phase of the TV stand is truly something to consider when choosing a home for a new flat screen TV. Combining all the utility of a hi-fi stand with support for a television, a modern TV stand earns its keep. Today, the stereo system and TV are often interconnected, and therefore it makes sense to keep everything in one, centralized location. These pieces of smart furniture combine not only the hi-fi shelving that isolates stereo equipment and eliminates vibrations (like the hi-fi stands), but hide cables and chords to increase the neat clean appearance. Part of the advantage for flat screen owners of going with a stand instead of a wall-mount is the swivel-action of many of the latest TV stands- now they can get the perfect picture from anywhere in the room.

At the end of the day, the method of mounting speakers is an individual preference. Speaker stands are an affordable way to quickly and easily improve the sound quality of a home hi-fi stereo system. They help the speakers work better by eliminating many common, completely avoidable, complications like picking up vibrations, and poor room and listener-related placement. Nobody wants those pesky “deleterious colorations” ruining the sound quality on yet another stereo system’s speakers. Start hearing things clearly by giving speakers a quick and easy speaker stand makeover.

Watching movies at home has become very popular over the last decade, especially now that people have the ability to setup some very sophisticated home theaters. It doesn’t make much sense to go to the cinema and sit for two hours in an uncomfortable seat with dozens of other people, when you can enjoy the movie in your home in great comfort.

To have a theater experience in your own home is simply a matter of a home movie theater system. Here are a few tips to help you create your own cinema movie experience right in your own home.

• The first step in setting up your home cinema will be to choose an appropriately sized room. The room will have to be large enough to accommodate the size of TV you have, and your seating.
• You will then need to setup the basics for your home theater. The basic components of your theater system will be speakers, a TV or projector, plus a DVD player and a multi-channel amplifier. You will also need cables to hook your components together.
• The next step will be to place your TV in the appropriate place; the dimensions of the room will determine where you will set your television. It should be set up on a TV stand where it will set at eye level while you are seated. You will also need to ensure that it is far enough away from the room’s seating for comfortable viewing. A general rule is that the seating should be about five times the length of the screen from the TV.
• Once you have setup your TV you will next place your speakers. You will place the front speakers first. These speakers should be placed to where they are pointed toward the viewing area. You will also have a center speaker; this should be placed close to the TV screen. The rear speakers to your home theater system will have to be placed at the back of the room, or behind the viewing area. This speaker setup will bring the best stereo sound to your home theater setup.
• The furniture you use in your home cinema should be comfortable and fit nicely in the room. You can use sofas, love seats, and recliners. There is also special furniture for home theater seating if you would like to invest in this type of furniture.
• The lighting in your home cinema is also important. You will want indirect lighting in the room. For this reason you will want to install dim lighting on the walls as apposed to having lighting coming from the ceiling. If the room is too bright, or the lighting is coming from above, this can diminish the viewing quality.
• Decorating your home cinema is a matter of personal taste. Some people prefer that it resemble a normal living room while others like their home theater to resemble an actual cinema.

With some effort and the right equipment, you can create a fantastic home cinema that will actually be more enjoyable than going out to a theatre to watch movies.

Over the years the home stereo system has evolved substantially.  In fact, today it seems like every day there is some new tweak or improvement available in home sound equipment.  It’s hard for the average consumer to know when to buy, what to buy, and how to get the most for their money.  That being said, what most owners of high fidelity sound equipment don’t realise is that without the proper placement and configuration, their home speaker system will not come close to realizing its full sound quality potential.  Hiding a sound system away in a cupboard-like entertainment center hurts the owner and audience in 2 big ways: 1- It takes up the entire den, living room, or entertainment room; 2- It may be eating up the acoustics, and ruining the hi-fi quality of the speakers.  Instead, knowledgeable consumers are looking to speaker stands to bring their speakers out into the open, and maximise sound quality.

What is a speaker stand?  An invention that crept out of the 80’s without great fanfare, people began utilising speaker stands when they realised getting the speakers off the floor made a world of difference in their sound quality and performance.  This quick and easy fix for improving sound has since been extremely popular amongst musicians and high fidelity enthusiasts alike.  The science behind it is that most floors (especially carpet) and common domestic furniture pick up on the vibrations around them, essentially swallowing a portion of all sound produced by the speaker.  Or, vice versa, the speaker can pick up vibrations from other sources like people walking over the floor, causing undesired vibrations and again deadening sound.  In order to counteract this effect, the speaker stand was designed as a sonically dead column, on which speakers could be isolated, lifted and mounted.  Today, there are a range of aesthetically appealing brands and styles of speaker stands available that will optimise speaker performance, without looking like a space age command center was dropped into the living room. 

The first thing to look for in a quality speaker stand is stiffness.  Without a certain amount of rigidity the stand will still be subject to vibrations, and therefore no better than domestic furniture.  If the stand is moving and wobbly, it is obviously less than ideal as the idea is to protect the speaker equipment, not jeopardise a fall.  The best stands will be made of steel, or an equally resilient material like thick glass, and the support tubing will be rectangular, square, or circular in cross-section.  For extra heavy equipment, look for stands that can be filled with another substance, like sand, to increase their own mass and support more speaker weight.  The flat top plate of a speaker stand generally has small pads made of plastic or rubber to support the speaker and minimise vibration.  When mounting the speaker, the listener can choose to apply additional reinforcements to keep the speaker securely atop like top spikes or gel pads. 

Once the speaker stands are being set up in the home, having the speakers and especially the tweeter at the proper height will be of utmost importance.  Ideally, the speakers/tweeter should be placed at ear level for someone in their normal listening position in the room (think about whether the listener will be sitting on a couch, lying on a bed, etc.)  Do some homework and have measurements available as to the desired height of the speaker stands.  Some speaker stands are adjustable in height.  Many simply come in a range of graduated sizes.  Regardless, it’s important to know whether or not the speaker stand has the desired height, or at least has the potential to adjust to the desired height, for the room. 

Rest assured that speaker stands come in a wide variety of shapes and colors, so there will be something to match the existing home décor.  One variety of speaker stand is made of a thick glass tubing that can be filled with any material (besides a liquid) to perfectly coordinate to match the room it’s in.  The base and platform portions of speaker stands come in a range of shapes, as do the column supports.  Keep in mind that part of the idea of the speaker stand is to create some distance between the speakers and thereby improve the sound quality.  The idea is to create almost an equilateral triangle between the listener and the speakers, so sit down in the room and imagine what would compliment the space.  An added benefit is that many speaker stands are equipped to hide unsightly wires and cables that often become a tangled mess sprawled across the living room floor. 

One of the major concerns about speaker stands is the requirement to use spikes to fasten them to the floor.  Many people would rather not cause that type of damage to their home flooring.  However, the fact of the matter is that once the home stereo system has been purchased, it’s going to waste without the proper mounting of the speakers.  Other options include mounting speakers on the walls or ceilings, but this type of damage is going to be far more intrusive, and require a great deal more unsightly material to keep the speakers secure than the floor spikes (not to mention wall mounting is unrealistic for anyone who rents).  The spikes make minimal perforations in the flooring, which can be easily repaired should the speakers need to be moved.  Alternatives to spiking the floor include setting the spikes in blocks of wood, or small metal cups specifically designed for speaker stands. 

Where can speaker stands be found?  The internet is a great resource for finding the widest range of colours, styles, makes and materials.  Anyone with a very specific vision should start here.  Of course as with any internet shopping it can be difficult to know exactly what one is getting without seeing the product in person.  As always, make sure things like return policies, warranties, delivery details and payment security are discussed before making any purchases or giving any information over the internet.  Another option is to try any local audio equipment location where speakers are sold.  These establishments will either have speaker stands in stock, or be able to assist the buyer in finding a nearby vendor.   

At the end of the day, the method of mounting speakers is an individual preference.  Speaker stands are an affordable way to quickly and easily improve the sound quality of a home hi-fi stereo system.  They help the speakers work better by eliminating many common, completely avoidable, complications like picking up vibrations, and poor room and listener-related placement.  Nobody wants those pesky “deleterious colorations” ruining the sound quality on their home stereo system’s speakers.  To start hearing things clearly, give speakers a quick and easy speaker stand makeover. 

If you’re just now considering bringing high-definition entertainment into your home, the decision of which high definition DVD format to go with has already been made for you.

Yes. There was a recent battle of formats to rival that of the VHS and Betamax war back in the early 80’s. This time, however, the battle was between Toshiba’s HD DVD format and Sony’s Blu-Ray disc.

Battle Of The Formats

In this war, Sony’s Blu-Ray disc emerged victorious when Toshiba announced that they would no longer pursue the high definition market in February 2008. Consumer sales were all but stopped by the end of March.

Much like VHS and Betamax, major film producers like Warner Brothers ultimately determined the outcome of the war.

While there didn’t appear to be any real discernible differences in the audio or video quality of either format to the consumer, studios preferred the greater storage capacity and data transfer rate that the Blu-Ray disc offered.

When Warner Brothers made the decision to only release their high definition productions on Blu-Ray in January 2008, retailers like Best Buy and Wal-Mart threw the weight of their support solely in Blu-Ray’s direction as well, marking the end of the road for Toshiba’s HD DVD. Support by major film studios meant a lot more availability of Blu-Ray movie titles to the consumers.

Prior to Toshiba’s announcement to pull their HD DVD from the market, sales of either high definition format were soft. Consumers who were around for the VHS vs. Betamax war, well remember the pain of spending good money on a Beta machine and Beta tapes, only to have the format become extinct before their eyes.

Blu-Ray Emerges Victorious

With Blu-Ray disc firmly established as the king of the high definition format, sales have still remained soft. This, of course, came as a surprise to the industry.

Analysts suggest that this is due to a couple of reasons…

• The state of the economy is limiting the amount of money consumers are willing to spend on upgrading their video equipment. The purchase of a Blu-Ray disc player would require an upgrade to a high definition television, high quality cables, and possibly a surround sound system in order to get the full benefit of the high definition experience.
• While high definition is a beautiful thing to behold, consumers seem to be satisfied with the results that they are getting from their standard DVD players, and upconverting DVD players.

Overall cost is obviously a significant factor in consumer’s buying decisions. Currently, Blu-Ray movies are considerably more expensive than the average DVD movie. The good news is that the cost of the Blu-Ray disc players themselves are on the decline.

Using Standard DVDs In A High Def Format

Many consumers who have built up their collection of standard DVDs may be concerned that they will be unable to continue to use that format in a Blu-Ray disc player. Fortunately, that’s not the case.

If you have a high definition television, then standard DVDs will not only play in a Blu-Ray disc player, the quality of the playback is likely to be near high definition quality.

And likewise, if you wish to start building your Blu-Ray disc movie collection– since they are intended to replace standard DVDs in the future – Blu-Ray movies will play in standard DVD players as well. This is called backwards compatibility.

High Definition DVD Upconverters

High definition DVD upconverters are another option to purchasing a Blu-Ray disc player. They were actually a pretty attractive option several months ago when the cost of Blu-Ray disc players were more expensive.

And, upconverters were an even more attractive option when the battle of the formats were raging and people wanted the high definition experience without the risk of buying into a soon to be defunct format

Back then a smart consumer could pick up an upconverter for about half the cost of a Blu-Ray disc player. Today, however, the cost gap between the high definition upconverter and Blu-Ray disc player is rapidly closing.

So, what are the differences between an upconverter and a Blu-Ray disc player?

Standard DVD players take the digital information from a DVD, convert it to an analog signal, which gets reconverted back to digital once it arrives at to your television set. This process can negatively affect the overall quality of sound and video.

Upconverters, on the other hand, send the digital information from a standard DVD directly to your television without ever converting it to an analog signal. This means that the integrity of the audio and video are maintained.

Upconverters essentially “scale” a standard DVD at 480 pixels up to accommodate the pixels of your high definition television that is either 720, 1080i or 1080p resolution. Thus, “simulating” a high definition quality picture.

Some say, that unless you’re a true audiophile, you probably won’t realize the difference between the “simulated” high definition of a good quality upconverter and the “true” high definition of the Blu-Ray disc player.

Blu-Ray disc players, however, present not just a crisper, cleaner image commensurate with high definition, they also provide increased audio quality by using lossless technology. This is something that an upconverter is unable to do.

Lossless data compression technology essentially means that the sound you hear will most closely resemble the original soundtrack recording. This is different from Lossy compression that only approximates the original soundtrack. This difference may be of particular importance if you are using a home theater surround sound system.

High Definition Internet Television

Finally, high definition Internet television is coming up in the ranks as a potential contender in high definition format. As of September 2008, Apple iTunes online TV store, for instance, started offering viewers the ability to purchase high definition programming from the four major networks.

While it is reported that the quality doesn’t come close to Blu-Ray’s, it is definitely a technology worth keeping your eye on.

If you have recently purchased a Blu-Ray player, why not have a look at our range of video & audio furniture to store & display your equipment in style.