No More Mr Nice Guy Audio

[Emigdio Binet]

Ihave been trying various things with a piezo buzzer. I am using the attached schematic, and added a pot before the piezo for volume control. The sound, however, is rather harsh. Would anyone please let me know how to make a more smooth sound?

If you want to get an idea of what square and sine waves sound like [u]Audacity[/u] can generate sine & square waves at the frequency of your choice, that you can play back on your computer speakers or headphones.

From my experience, you will never get a 'nice' sound out of a piezo.

They are made for volume and usually have a narrow band.

Lowering the drive amplitude will help.

Most are designed with resonance in mind.

Did you calculate the duty cycle? (I didn't.) A square wave has a 50% duty cycle and will sound the "least-harsh" of any rectangle wave. It's been several years since I used a 555 but from what I recall, it's not easy to get a square wave. And if you adjust the pot, you're probably adjusting the duty cycle so you no longer have a square wave. A type-T flip-flop will convert a rectangle wave to a square wave at half the frequency, but if you want a "pure tone" you want a sine wave.

P.S.

About a million years ago the company I was working for was designing a new product and they wanted a "beep" for feedback when you pushed the buttons on a membrane keyboard. At first they were trying to get a pleasant sound, and the joke was that they were trying to get the least-annoying sound.

Try creating sound with the Arduino "tone() function!

Try out playing different frequencies and compare!

Although the tone() ifunction is creating square wave output, the sound sounds rather nice with my piezo and magnetic speakers, except with very low fequencies. Frequencies of 440 Hz or above sound clean, especially when used in playing melodies.

Thanks. Looks good, but rather complicated. Other than the basic LC circuit, it is way beyond my understanding. Do you know of a very simple circuit that would work? I'm trying to keep it as simple as possible.

I'll give it a try. The problem if that I have a distant circuit connected by Cat5, and all the wires are being used. Using the Arduino to generate the tone will require more wires. I'd prefer to avoid that.

Looks good. But I can't find on Digikey or eBay. Seems to be only available in the UK, where shipping charges to Canada are prohibitive. Also, looks like using the smc0608s, my preference, involves quite a circuit anyhow (from the datasheet).

In my opinion there are very few mic preamps under $800 per channel that are any better sounding than an inexpensive console. Many of the "budget" mic pres are based on simple, cheap integrated circuit (IC) op amps. These circuits will work, but have low headroom, and the fidelity of the whole circuit is usually limited. Many of them might have tubes in them, but these tubes are always an adjunct to the op amp circuit (which does the real work) and just a way to add subtle distortion and call it "warmth". The Really Nice Preamp (RNP) is FMR Audio's long-awaited follow-up to their Really Nice Compressor, hands down the best compressor for under $200. (I own 3 and want more!) The RNP is very simple: Each Class A channel has XLR ins for mics, 1/4" ins for line/DI, a dual unbalanced 1/4" insert point, buttons for phantom power and polarity invert, a 12 position knob for gain, and three LEDs for signal levels. First I tested the RNP on a variety of sources, where it held up well on most. Bass guitar plugged in direct sounded better than many pres and DI boxes, though (just barely) not quite as deep on the low end as "high end" DI boxes. Testing is okay, but never tells you the real story, so I started tracking records with the RNP in my rack and really gave it a workout. The fact that this little preamp survived many sessions on guitar and keyboard amps, overhead mics, room mics, snare drum and more is ample proof that FMR has really pulled this off. If I had any doubt as to the sound of this preamp, I would have pulled it off the sources in question and not gone back to it. When overdriven the RNP warns you with a red light, but it has a cool distortion sound that I used on room mics a few times. That's better than I can say for many inexpensive preamps that offer a harsh clipping. Complaints? The RNP's 6 dB stepped gain control and lack of an output trim knob sometimes make it difficult to set optimum levels to tape. The insert points don't seem necessary when I could add a compressor after the mic preamp, but if you used the unbalanced RNC in the insert points instead of output you would retain a balanced signal. My biggest complaint is that the digitally-controlled invert and phantom power buttons revert to the off position when the unit is powered down, throwing me off during long tracking sessions. FMR is currently revising this however. I think home recordists would find this preamp to be significantly better than an inexpensive console, DAW interface or cheap outboard preamps. I also think many pro studios should check it out. Think of it as a hell of a deal at $500 - don't think of it as a cheap mic preamp! (www.fmraudio.com)

In the corporate world, an estimated 11 million business meetings take place every day. However, many of these meetings lack the equipment and planning to proceed with peak productivity. The cost of poorly organized meetings is known to cost companies a jaw-dropping $399 billion a year.

One essential element of a well-organized meeting is the partnership of audiovisual equipment and audio-friendly design within the conference room. Audio equipment is crucial to fostering efficient communication in the conference room, but the design of the conference room itself must also support the optimal functioning of the equipment. For example, modern office spaces value open spaces, large windows, and a sleek design. These layouts encourage productivity and creativity but tend to muddle sound clarity, meaning that they may not be the best choice for an audio-friendly conference room.

Furthermore, as the upward trend of remote work takes the business world by storm, audio quality must move to the forefront of conference room design. Properly implemented audio equipment has the power to build stronger relationships between in-office and remote employees. On the other hand, improperly implemented equipment can create barriers and seriously hinder collaboration.

A change in the design of your conference room can quickly mitigate this issue. To begin with, replace or cushion hard surfaces with soft surfaces. While you may not be able to alter inset floor-to-ceiling windows, you could hang curtains to soften the sound. Replace hard chairs with softer, cloth-covered chairs. If the conference room floor is composed of hard material, consider putting down a rug or carpeting. These simple touches will improve the acoustics and still allow you to choose options that fit with the aesthetics of your space.

Although minimalist decor is en vogue, this style can diminish the sound quality of your conference room. As we mentioned, sound waves bounce off hard-surfaced walls and furniture, creating an echo that decreases sound quality and causes interruptions. When the enclosed space is largely empty or bare, this effect only worsens.

With effective interior design, these issues are simple to circumvent. The addition of strategically placed objects such as plants or art pieces can help interrupt bouncing sound waves and decrease echo.

In addition to revamping the decor itself, audiovisual integrators can install fixtures that further improve the sound system of your conference room. Acoustic panels, sometimes referred to as sound-dampening panels, use fabric or foam to minimize ambient noise. Plus, they are a relatively inexpensive way to update your conference room since the installation process simply entails affixing them to the existing walls or the ceiling.

The majority of audiovisual integrators recommend at least 15% coverage for optimal audio quality, but the amount of panels required for optimal sound is ultimately dependent on the size of your conference room.

Any audio-friendly conference room design must partner with high-quality audio equipment. And although conference rooms may appear completely different from one to the next, they all require certain essential audio equipment, including microphones, speakers, and a control system.

Phoenix Audio is a California-based company building boutique-grade professional audio equipment. We design and manufacture pure Class-A circuits to the highest standards possible while offering excellent value, an intuitive user experience, and a

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To broaden your understanding even further, play the recording at different speeds, such as 1.25x and 0.75x, and evaluate whether the same tone and vocal phenomena come through. Play it quietly and loudly. The most effective voices are comprehensible and emotionally resonant at different speeds and volumes.

As if you needed another reason to hydrate, water keeps your throat and vocal cords nice and lubricated. That means a smoother sound and easier speaking experience. Make sure to eat well and keep your electrolytes up, too, for maximum energy and endurance.

If you engage in video meetings, phone calls, or record yourself for social media, having high-quality equipment will make your voice sound better to your customers. Spending a bit of extra money on audio equipment for your business will help you project the most professional voice possible.

A voice coach can give you actionable tips and practice sessions to help you create the perfect business voice. (And who knows, those lessons could also give you an edge the next time you join your friends for karaoke night.)

There are seemingly a million options, but we've put the time and effort into testing dozens of soundbars over the past few years to help you find the best soundbar at varying budgets. Need more help? We have a guide on how to find the perfect soundbar, with definitions of many of the terms you'll come across while shopping. Be sure to read our guides to Best TVs, Best Speakers, and Best Streaming Devices for more ways to upgrade your home theater.

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