Are Preamps Necessary – Factors To Consider
First, let's define the difference between a preamp and a receiver. A receiver is a sound system component that is wired to speakers and the television. It combines the functions of the preamp, amplifier and sometimes the tuner. The preamp is an amplifier that it is wired to the source component such as the laserdisc player or DVD player.
The reputation of preamps has suffered due to the advent of Dolby surround sound. In creating surround sound, more emphasis is placed on the receiver. Recordings are mixed to make efficient use of the receiver's amplifier stages and directional circuitry controls the amount of sound that the different speakers produce. The result is that built-in preamps on receivers have become less important and users who are connected to their home theaters through a receiver with built-in preamps may consider not using them at all.
To get the best performance from a receiver, the input source must be set correctly. For example, on a receiver equipped with a tuner and input selector knobs, the source selector knob must be set to the CD player on its own input. The user may also have to set the contrast, brightness and other picture controls on the TV to their mid-range settings. These stages, which perform the same function as a preamp, reduce the need for a preamp.
In built Amps in Receivers
The short answer: No, external amps are not required for home theater. Many audio/video receivers come with built-in amplifiers. The receivers also have an internal preamp, which converts the speaker output requirements into the type of signal an amplifier needs to process.
Technically speaking, you don’t need a dedicated amp for a home theater system. However, there are several advantages of having a pre-amp, such as:
Pre-amps are smaller, lighter and more space-saving than separate amps. External pre-amps are designed for a specific purpose – for high performance audio. They’re built to provide unaltered and natural audio reproduction. It’s hard to achieve the same kind of audio performance through the internal amps of your receiver. Pre-amps come with an overall more sophisticated design and usually higher efficiency, which translates into enhanced output. They also provide better protection against environmental factors compared to a built-in amp. If you want to upgrade your sound system later, it’s easier to replace a pre-amp than to upgrade the entire receiver.
The process of running separate high-quality pre-amps with a good amplifier is often referred to as separates. You can learn more about the advantages of separates here.
Input Sources
A preamp is an audio component located between the “Tuner Out” and the amplifiers used to drive external speakers. A preamp provides an input source for the external devices such as CD players, tape decks, AM/FM tuners, and VCRs to be played on the amplified sound system. Connectors are provided on the back of a preamp for attaching the various external devices.
The most common audio input source to the preamp is the Aux (auxiliary) input. This is where a home theater receiver, a stereo receiver, or an integrated amplifier receives connect it to an external audio source … such as a stereo, cable, or satellite receiver … which is then plugged into a power amplifier or a pair of main speakers.
Sound Quality
When you're listening to music from a CD and your stereo is tuned just right, you'll be hard pressed to tell the difference between that and a live performance. The same thing is true with most movies the sound you hear while you're watching was produced in another location. If it works that well for those two situations, why would anyone need a preamp or other home theater equipment to improve their sound?
The simple answer is that your home entertainment equipment isn't perfect. It's designed to be affordable and to make audio recordings that don't require a lot of tweaking and fine tuning so that there are fewer differences between the original audio file and the audio playback of that file.
But there are many situations where home entertainment audio equipment does make a difference.
If you want to get the most out of your audio recordings and movies, you might want to add a preamp or other home theater equipment. It can really be a game changer.
You can also consider using a Bluetooth enabled device that can be connected to an amp and a set of speakers. It’s also an alternative to home theater if you want to enjoy your music and movies without any fuss.
Budget
Preamps are a big topic, to say the least. It’s one of those products that are super important for producing a clean audio signal that plays well with the rest of the components in your home theater, but it’s also one of those products that most people don’t know anything about, other than the fact that they need one.
Now, a good preamp won’t make or break your home theater, but a bad one will cause you a lot of problems. That’s why any aspiring home theater newbie should know what they are and what difference they can make.
In this article, we’re going to cover off the basics of preamps, including what they do, how they work, and what your options are.
What Does A Preamp Do For A Home Theater?
To keep it short, yes, you do need a preamp for a home theater. A preamp is an electronic device that increases the level of low-voltage signals while boosting the volume. It also adjusts for gain and bass, as well. A preamp is important for protecting your amplifier and other components from damage. With a preamp, you can get optimal sound, especially when you use multiple speakers.
When you use multiple speakers, you’re sending a signal not only to your center channel or front speakers but also to your rear speakers, your subwoofer, and even your side speakers. It’s too much power for one amplifier to handle, so you need a preamp.
With a preamp, you can control the level of your speakers and adjust the bass for different components. With 4 or 5 speakers, your preamp is going to make the sound a lot better. If you’re only using 2 or 3 speakers, then you won’t need a preamp.
Pros And Cons Of Using A Preamp
From time to time you might hear people talk about home theater preamps or preamplifiers. The term consists of two parts: preamplifier and preamp. If you’re new to this concept, your first question probably goes something like this: What is a home theater preamp? In my opinion, a home theater preamp is part of a home theater system that is used to boost sound signals, amplify audio signals, or otherwise change sound quality before those signals get to your loudspeakers.
Home theater preamps usually have one or a number of inputs. The inputs could be located on the front or rear panel of the preamp itself, or they could be located on an external device. The main purpose of a preamp is to make sure the signal being sent to the speakers is the best possible.
How does a home theater preamp work? Generally, a home theater preamp will do things like amplify weak signals, filter noise, and further the separation between high and low sound. Some home theater preamps also feature other sound-enhancing and sound-processing technologies as well.
Now, if you’re thinking of using a home theater preamp in your system, you probably want to know if you need a home theater preamp for surround sound. The short answer is yes. You absolutely need a home theater preamp for surround sound.
Pros
Before you can get started on building your very own home theater system, you have to answer some questions – like whether or not you actually want it, or need it. Do you want to use an existing TV in the room, or connect it to a projector, for example?
A big-screen TV is attractive because you don't have to be the one carting the equipment around. If you do go this route, though, you'll want to make sure you have the correct HDMI cables and the best processor to support your image quality.
If you want to get creative, you could build a home theater in a room with lots of windows, or perhaps even under a skylight, so you can take full advantage of natural light. This may be a good idea if natural light helps you feel more relaxed, calmer, and more likely to watch a movie or TV show.
Another idea is to work with your existing living room furniture, and maybe even your homeowner's association. If you don't like wires and cables or if you don't want to cart the existing components around, try building a home theater system right where they are, using your existing furniture and appliances. It's a great way to save time and money while optimizing your viewing experience in comfort.
Cons
What is the purpose of a preamp? Do you need a preamp to have awesome home theater? Home theater preamps come in different shapes and sizes, but their purpose is the same: it translates high impedance sources (such as your DVDs or Blu-Ray player) into low impedance sources (to drive your amp and speakers).
So the main benefit of a preamp is that it can take a high impedance source and scale it down into the much lower impedance load that your amp can handle. Without it, you’ll need an additional component to do the job.
Additional advantages include noise reduction (which is why they're often used with turntables), input selection, and volume control. They also add another layer of audio quality enhancement, with various sound settings, that you’ll love if you’re a critical audio fan.
Are Preamps Necessary For Home Theater – Final Thoughts
In short, no. Preamps are mainly used in broadcast and professional settings to control volume and compensate for the impedance mismatch between various components.
If you're using a receiver for your home entertainment system, you may have a built-in preamp, or at least an impedance selector switch which could be used to attenuate the audio signal from the speakers.
If you are using separate components, then most likely a receiver will have to compensate for the impedance mismatch between the amplifier and speakers. The main advantage of a preamp is to control audio level better when there is a cost or space concern with a receiver or if you want to have a pure "clean" audio signal with minimum circuit noise.
If you're determined to install a preamp (and you can do it!), then look for one with volume control because it will be much easier to integrate into your system and will facilitate volume adjustments. The downside of using a separate preamp is that the audio signal will be split between the preamp and the receiver, so you will have to run two cables (left and right) instead of one.
If you prefer convenience and haven't come across any issues with your current setup, then create a wiring loop in your system and plug a volume control into the main audio input connector on the back of the receiver. This way, when you turn the volume dial on the preamp, the audio level will be affected.
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Home theater, in a sense, can refer to a multi-component setup that can create a movie and/or game experience inside your house like you would in a theater. This includes giving you a scenic surround sound experience, a vivid full DOLBY digital picture and a believable sense of presence or reality. Of course, the more components you add and the more money you spend, the more theater-like your entire setup can be made.
Home theater is also a popular option for audiophile (high-fidelity) enthusiasts, but they do it for way different reasons. More on that in another post!
But the key components of a home theater system includes a TV (with or without a projector), a Blu-ray player, a gaming console, an A/V receiver (AVR), a soundbar, a speaker system, and many other add-ons and enhancements to create the theater-like experience.
But even that’s not enough to create complete home theater audio. Even though the speakers themselves are capable of producing amazing sound quality, they’re still prone to distortion from the power level coming from the audio source.
That’s where an audio amplifier called preamp comes in. The preamp amplifies the sound coming from the audio source before delivering it to the sound system.