Headroom can be for voltage amps and EQ as well as amplifiers...........s

Posted by Interstage Tranny (A) on June 26, 2012 at 15:55:48

In Reply to: What is Headroom and how can it be described? posted by airtime on June 26, 2012 at 09:52:47:

I first heard the term working in sound studios. Remember analog tape machines ? We would record live music at as hot a level as practical, while leaving some "headroom" for crescendo peaks; so as not to overload (saturate) the tape/tape head/electronics synergy.

When choosing a preamp/headamp/phono cartridge combo, we need to consider how the components interact with the rest of our system. If the low ouput moving coil cartridge needs a step-up tranny or headamp, there better be headroom in the preamp to prevent the preamp stage from overloading. Likewise, concerning the preamp output level, we want to be able to drive the amp/speakers to comfortable levels, plus a significant headroom margin to be able to cope with dynamic peaks and/or be able to push the levels to party levels; without distorting. We like headroom.

So, you might be able to reduce all the answers, here and below, to setting up the sound system with enough "reserve" to always prevent overload distortion. Headroom relates to system synergy in a big way...

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - What is Headroom and how can it be described? - airtime 09:52:47 06/26/12 (21)

Baggy Underwear - dtz 10:44:27 07/02/12 (0)

So then it sounds more like the PS slew rate and uf capacity - airtime 08:58:55 06/27/12 (0)

RE: What is Headroom and how can it be described? - abs1 21:52:56 06/26/12 (0)

Not really a measurement - G Squared 20:14:12 06/26/12 (3)

but it can be measured for sure :) - Penguin 16:18:25 06/28/12 (2)

Agreed, but - G Squared 13:22:20 07/02/12 (1)

Funding ??? - Penguin 17:02:08 07/03/12 (0)

The prior answers are too narrow... - mls-stl 17:33:09 06/26/12 (0)

Headroom can be for voltage amps and EQ as well as amplifiers...........s - Interstage Tranny 15:55:48 06/26/12 (0)

High current - Sordidman 13:25:27 06/26/12 (0)

When I think of the term... - mkuller 12:15:39 06/26/12 (1)

RE: When I think of the term... - Sondek 14:11:40 06/26/12 (0)

RE: What is Headroom and how can it be described? - FenderLover 12:03:36 06/26/12 (0)

RE: What is Headroom and how can it be described? - Jack G 11:01:51 06/26/12 (0)

RE: What is Headroom and how can it be described? - pictureguy 10:15:27 06/26/12 (6)

The definition - Ralph 10:27:32 06/26/12 (5)

RE: The definition - pictureguy 10:31:31 06/26/12 (4)

RE: The definition - Ralph 11:08:31 06/26/12 (3)

RE: The definition - pictureguy 11:53:30 06/26/12 (2)

RE: The definition - Ralph 12:43:15 06/26/12 (1)

RE: The definition - pictureguy 13:52:11 06/26/12 (0)

Follow Ups

Headroom can be for voltage amps and EQ as well as amplifiers...........s - Interstage Tranny 15:55:48 06/26/12 (0)

Headroom can be for voltage amps and EQ as well as amplifiers...........s

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