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Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Leo Simpson, B.Bus. Editor Greg Swain, B.Sc.(Hons.) PUBLISHER'S LE'I*I'ER Technical Staff John Clarke, B.E.(Elec.) Robert Flynn Darren Yates, B.Sc. Reader Services Ann Jenkinson Sharon Macdonald Sales & Marketing Mgr. Sharon Lightner Phone (02) 979 5644 Mobile phone (018) 28 5532 Regular Contributors Brendan Akhurst Garry Crall, VK2YBX Marque Crozman John Hill Jim Lawler, MTETIA Bryan Maher, M.E., B.Sc. Jim Yalden, VK2YGY Bob Young Phot ography Stuart Bryce Editori al A dvisory Panel Philip Watson, MIREE, VK2ZPW · Norman Marks Steve Payor, B.Sc., B.E. SILICON CHIP is published 12 times a year by Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd. A.C.N. 003 205 490. All material copyright©. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Printing: Magazine Printers Ply Ltd, Alexandria, NSW; Macquarie Print, Dubbo, NSW. Distribution: Network Distribution Company. Subscription rates: $42 per year in Australia. For overseas rates, see the subscription page in this issue. Liability: Devices or circuits described in SILICON CHIP may be covered by patents. SILICON CHIP disclaims any liability for the infringement of such patents by the manufacturing or selling of any such equipment. Editorial & advertising offices: Unit 1a/77-79 Bassett Street, Mona Vale, NSW 2103. Postal address: PO Box 139, Collaroy Beach, NSW 2097. Phone (02) 979 5644. Fax (02) 979 6503. ISSN 1030-2662 4 SILICON CHIP Sound quality is not perfect in rack hifi systems Have you surveyed the hifi scene lately? Over the last few years , the hifi market has changed quite dramatically and is now divided in two broad ranges of products: rack systems and "separate" components. Rack systems are widely available from department stores and discount houses and typically range in price from around $800 to $1500 or thereabouts. By contrast, "separate" hifi components such as CD players, tuners, tape decks and loudspeakers are now only available from specialist hifi stores and there the sky is the limit as far as price is concerned. Trouble is, the aforementioned rack systems are generally labelled as "hifi" but most of them are not. While just about all rack systems these days incorporate a CD player and a dual tape player with Dolby B and perhaps C noise reduction, these in themselves do not make a system hifi. The truth is, compared to the sound quality available from even modestly priced "separate" components, most rack systems are downright ordinary. They're good enough to satisfy Mr & Mrs Joe Average but a long way from what can be achieved. Nor can you really expect a lot more. If you have a look at all the features that are thrown into rack systems costing around $1000, you should realise that it is not just the styling that is "well rounded" - a lot of corners have been cut inside as well. If a system is advertised as having 400 watts PMPO (meaning "pea_k music power output") you would be downright naive if you expected it to have a real power output of much more than 20 watts per channel. And take a look at the speakers. If they have three drivers in each cabinet, have Masonite backs and only weigh about 3kg, then you can hardly expect high quality. What you're getting for your money is gimcrack and not a lot more. On the other hand, today's rack systems do give good value in terms of operating convenience (full remote control) and good reliability. That is a legacy of the great improvements that have taken place in electronic componentry over the last decade or so. If you want to buy a rack system for convenience, compact size and low price, by all means do so. But remember that you are not buying a hifi system. What you are buying is an updated 1990s version of the old furniture sty led stereogram. The difference is that today's rack system can qe given an easy upgrade by replacing the loudspeakers with a system purchased from a specialist hifi store. Or you could build them yourself using the plans described in this issue. Ultimately though, if you want a hifi system, there is no short cut. You will be committing yourself to spend quite a lot of money to buy the very best that you can afford. You will probably spend quite a few thousand dollars. But having carefully considered and then spent your money, you can expect many years of pleasure and satisfaction. Leo Simpson