IB Spot Blog

I was amazed to know that the world’s first Hi Fi microphone (mike) was made using a telephone voice transmitter. Hi Fi Microphones since have changed many faces over the years and reaching now, when are they are almost invisible when tucked behind a person’s ear or collar.

Hi Fi Microphones are used in hearing aids, production of motion picture and audio recording, karaoke & live performance systems etc. Made first in 1976, Hi Fi mikes have also entered the field of spying, knock sensor technology etc.

Electrostatic Hi-Fi Microphone: were the first of its kind of Hi Fi Mikes. Generated by a low-sound oscillator, the vibrations produce changes in the distance between the plates. These Hi Fi mikes quickly found their way into studio recordings and karaoke systems. The audio signal was good quality and the cost of the Hi Fi mike system was relatively low.

Electret Hi Fi Microphone: were invented in the early 1960s where the charge was received constantly through an electret material rather than an external source as in the case of Hi Fi Electrostatic Mikes. This made the production quicker, easier and cheaper. Almost every electronic gadget being used in the 21st century including sophisticated Hi Fi headset mikes are based on this technology.

Dynamic Hi Fi Microphones: made an entry a decade later thanks to the revolutionary electro-magnetic Hi Fi technology. The advantage they over the Hi Fi Electret mikes was moisture-resistant performance which made it more long lasting & durable.

These Hi Fi mikes quickly became popular for all recordings, stage performances, opera recordings etc.

Hi Fi Speaker Microphones: were more like speakers based on reverse Hi Fi microphone technology. Though initial Hi Fi speaker models made were of poor quality however improved versions made it work. In fact, used for live acts, speeches, lectures, people used a bunch of Hi Fi speakers to make the recording/hearing even clearer than before.

This was achieved by placing a woofer right in front of a drum (acting as Hi Fi microphone). Hi Fi speakers then became a huge hit as they made more crisp and clear sound recordings possible.

Hi Fi Shotgun Microphones are my favorites which were most popular during 1960s & 1970s pop & disco culture movement and the finest example of Hi Fi Microphone technology.

Article from Classic Hi Fi - Hi Fi Sydney

Classic Hi Fi - Hi Fi systems and Audio equipments Sydney Hi Fi Systems

I know this sounds funny however there have been instances when I was bored of how my old Hi Fi speakers looked. Though they worked absolutely great, however I still wanted my Hi Fi speakers to look as good as new. While I have already mentioned how to clean old Hi Fi speakers, it is also important to pay attention to the rest of the setup. In fact you can give your Hi Fi speakers a whole new look.

The first thing you have to understand is giving your Hi Fi speakers a makeover will always make them look the same even if you don’t make any changes.

The biggest thing to be done here is cleaning the frame of the Hi Fi speakers. So first you remove the speakers from the frame. Use sandpaper to get rid of the uneven surface or chipped area of the Hi Fi speakers.

Now mask it with masking tape. The sides, front and back have to be masked so as to ensure that the spray will only hit the top. Make sure you apply the tape very properly to the Hi Fi frame. The neater you apply, the better the paint will come out for the edges.

Depending on the surface and material of the Hi Fi speakers, you will have to spray 2-4 coats so the surface can absorb completely while leaving an even color impression. Oh yes! Make sure the spraying is done either on the terrace, cobbled backyard or your garage (if spacious enough). Don’t carry the exercise of painting your Hi Fi Speakers in closed rooms.

Word of Advice:

Before you get into the ordeal of spraying the paint, take a similar surface of any discarded equipment and spray it with the paint. It will help you know how to paint, set your hand and give you a fair idea of how much spraying would be required and how long will it take your Hi Fi speakers to dry up.

Of course, it is impossible to get that “shine” on your Hi Fi speakers after you have finished this task. Though with wooden Hi Fi speaker frames, it is possible as you can use a coat of “varnish.”

Article from Classic Hi Fi - Hi Fi Sydney

Classic Hi Fi - Hi Fi systems and Audio equipments Sydney Hi Fi Systems

Don’t we all just love old things? Especially those with a slight sense of emotional attachment, particularly when bought from saved college allowance or first salary. One such thing I have is my old Hi Fi speakers. Though I confess that these old Hi Fi speakers where lying in my attic for a long time, untouched, however wanting to revive and reuse them made me realize they are in serious need of repair.

Searching through old manuals, I gathered information to easily clean Hi Fi speakers. So here goes:

The Foam: This is one of the portions of the Hi Fi speakers which get dirty easily and even weather out when not in use. Don’t think it is easy to remove the foam of the Hi Fi speakers. One has to be very careful while removing it because the base of the foam is very firmly glued to the outer rim of the Hi Fi speakers and can damage that area. The new foam will not glue properly.

Try scrapping it with a blunt knife and don’t bother if certain portions are firmly glued to the Hi Fi speaker.

Apply glue on the outer rim surface first and then do the same to the inner edge of the foam. Then apply glue to the outer edge of the foam and stick it down on the Hi Fi speaker cone rim. Hold it for some time and don’t just let go.

The Cardboard: Hi Fi speakers obviously are inserted into a circular cut out on the cardboard or wood. Ensure you remove the Hi Fi speakers and clean the inner area with a dry cloth. Often many people seem to the clean Hi Fi speakers with a wet cloth. Never do so as it can damage some part which then will need replacement and thus a further expense to your pocket.

When removing the screws which hold the Hi Fi speakers, the screw-holes often get loose. In that case the board would obviously need replacement. If not, then before placing back the Hi Fi speakers, make sure the screw holes are all lined up properly.

If you find this complicated, then you can always buy a “Speaker Repair Kit at many electronic stores. The easy to follow instructions can actually help you turn your old Hi Fi speakers to as good as new.

Article from Classic Hi Fi - Sydney Hi Fi

Classic Hi Fi - Hi Fi systems and Audio equipments Sydney Hi Fi Systems, speakers

Having lived close to 60 glorious years of great fan following, Vinyl Records seem to have found their way back in the 21st century with Hi Fi vintage systems coming back to demand. No jazz or soul or blues album would be sold well without a Hi Fi Vinyl Record made for it with the singer’s smiling photograph printed well on its cover.

They might have lost the war of clarity & format to the digital systems starting in the late 1980s however the restored Hi Fi Vinyl records have found a new generation of admirers and collectors.

Hi Fi Vinyl’s come in various sizes 7, 10 and 12 inches. I always thought that the Hi Fi Vinyl records were those huge Frisbee like black circular discs which only are 12 inches in size. Well, I was wrong.

What is even more interesting is that the commercial music seen is still very keen to use Hi Fi Vinyl records for their business. DJs always prefer to use Hi Fi Vinyl records playing live at discotheques or concerts. New artists of alternate, new age and instrumental music come up with their albums recording it all on Hi Fi Vinyl records.

I was rather fascinated with this new “School of DJs” which has opened up close to my neighborhood where young aspirants are taught the art of playing, mixing and composing tracks/music using Hi Fi Vinyl records. A lot of these talented guys are carrying such Hi Fi Vinyl records by the dozen.

Most Hi Fi Vinyl Records had both sides of the record being used to carry grooves. While also most Hi Fi Vinyl discs came in the iconic carbon black which increased the strength of the disc.

With initial vinyl records giving problem in quality of sound, a revolution came when LPs were the dominant size and Hi Fi sound became the standard of good quality.

So in case you have some legacy of music records left by your grand parents left behind in the form of Hi Fi Vinyl discs, think twice before chucking them. There is a whole new market out there online who want their hands on it at any price. Most popular online auction sites welcome Hi Fi Vinyl record sellers for pop, classic, jazz and instrumental music.

Article from Hi Fi Sydney - Classic Hi Fi

Classic Hi Fi - Hi Fi systems and Audio equipments Sydney Hi Fi Systems, Home Entertainment

It used to be a delight to see those old speakers attached to disco stereo systems in my uncle’s room which later were revamped into Hi Fi speakers. So here I was, all grown up and ready to purchase my own personal Hi Fi vintage speakers. However it wasn’t that easy.

One of the biggest drawbacks of buying old speakers is that they aren’t easily available. Even if one does come across, the quality reduces due to zero maintenance or improper use or even damage. Repairing a Hi Fi speaker isn’t easy particularly for an amateur like me who goes more the look and simple clear loud sound.

Going endlessly through flea market stores and checking out Hi Fi speakers isn’t something I would fancy doing till I reach my final buy. On racking my brains by searching online, I further noticed that most old speakers aren’t magnetically shielded. So how does one actually differentiate between mere old speakers and Hi Fi speakers while standing in a shop?

Recently I found out that Tangent had some pretty cool speakers designed in the 60s and 70s which were of the RS series. Hi Fi systems of such series came in wooden panels with no elaborate styling done over them. The most interesting of the Hi Fi speakers designed by Tangent was the RS8 model. It had a pyramid like design and the head of the speaker was flat.

Designing such Hi Fi speakers had broken down Tangent’s financial setup as too much was spent on the research. However these Hi Fi systems were of excellent sound craftsmanship and quality.

These British designs have been turned into Hi Fi speakers with KEF tweeters and make a perfect fit into bookshelves, personal library spaces and maybe a small bedroom.

The Hi Fi speakers of this series was a little low on Bass control however were well balanced. Off late Hi Fi has even revamped these tangent speaker series with mono tube amplifiers. The only concern being that the RS6 and RS8 models demand a lot of Hi Fi amplifiers so in other words further investment. However the final result of a revamped Hi Fi speaker is worth it as the bass is given an amazing boost.

Article from Hi Fi Sydney - Classic Hi Fi

Classic Hi Fi - Hi Fi systems and Audio equipments Sydney Hi Fi Systems, Home Entertainment

2.0 Channel Stereo Systems

This is a basic stereo system consist of 2 speakers for left and right channel sound delivered from stereo amplifier or receiver.

2.1 Channel Stereo Systems

This is just one additional subwoofer speaker added on the 2.0 stereo systems, the .1 Low Frequency Effects provides very low bass for music sources and special effects on DVD movie sound tracks, hence it contains 3 speakers.

5.1 Channel Home Theater Systems
This is currently most popular system for Dolby Digital 5.1 and/or DTS 5.1 Home hi-fi entertainment. The five-point-one channels consist of 5 channels of sound which are left and right, like a stereo system, a center channel for movie dialog or music vocals and on-screen sound, and left and right surround channels, for special effects and surround sound plus one subwoofer channel. Hence there are total 6 speakers to handle the movie theater sound or multichannel music ( DVD-Audio and SACD discs) in your home. This combination produces a sound field that delivers the users with sound coming from in front of and behind.

6.1 Channel Home Theater Systems

With one additional rear-center speaker add on the 5.1 system, the 6.1 system consist of 3 front and 3 rear speakers and it delivers an even more enveloping surround effect than a 5.1-channel system. Some DVDs are encoded with 6.1 channel Dolby Digital EX and DTS-ES sound, and can be played back on this type of system.

7.1 Channel Home Theater Systems

Today’s high-def disc formats can support more detailed audio. Now most Blu-ray Disk players support 7.1 audio formats, and offer high-quality, lossless surround sound.

7.1 Hi Fi System have three front channels, two surround channels and two surround-back channels, plus a subwoofer channel. The additional rear surround channels provide more detailed surround effects than 5.1 and 6.1 Dolby Digital and DTS and will also support Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD (High Resolution).

Article From: Classic Hi Fi - Quality Hi Fi System in Sydney

Classic Hi Fi - Hi Fi systems and Audio equipments Sydney Hi Fi Systems, Home Entertainment