Humans have always made music. Every performance was live, and the best of that music was passed down from generation to generation thru the memory of musicians. When it became possible to record music, it also became possible to save the best artist and their best performance for future generations. Here is a brief explanation of how it started, and evolved into what we now take for granted.

Before Electricity

The first of these sound reproducing systems were completely mechanical devices. I am certain that you have seen one in an old movie, a museum, an auction house or even a flea market. The simplest ones look a bit like a weird turntable with a big hollow horn shaped device that replaces the tone arm. At the tiny end of the horn is a flexible membrane with a nail stuck thru it, this stylus (nail) followed a groove cut in the cylinder or disc causing the membrane to flex and create a small sound wave. This wave was amplified in volume as it passed up towards the large end of the horn (and they varied in size from reasonable to gigantic) where it exited from the open end, this horn served as a coupling device with the air in the room this made the small signal much louder. In short you had all of the elements of a modern system, a signal source, a mechanical amplifier (the horn), which also served as the speaker. I forget to mention that these devices were hand cranked to spin the "record". These "recording's" came in many formats, a metal or wax cylinder, and various forms of disc. They were of course monaural, having only one channel. There were many different manufacturers, the common name taken up by the public was the Victrola. Like all old things these mechanical devices have become collector's items, depending on condition they can sell for, tens, hundreds, and even thousands of times their original price.

Monaural

The first electrically powered Audio Systems (Video did not exist as we know it) consisted of one channel. That is to say that there was one Speaker, usually located against the wall, in the middle with the listener facing it. (1) one channel amplifier, (1) one channel control center (read that as pre amp), (1) one channel signal source, although if you were really happening you had more than one signal source. You had a turntable, a tuner, and if really Hi Tech a reel to reel tape recorder. Believe it or not many of these systems sounded wonderful. Monaural is still around, it is used where attempting to create a mental location of the sound is not important. malls, banks, public area's and such still use monaural equipment designs. Then some bright boy decided that if there where two channels, a distinct right and left Channel it would create a larger sound image in the mind of the listener. More importantly if done properly you could create a sound stage. This sound stage made it possible to sit back and hear a more realistic performance. This was the birth of stereo. I might add also, the proverbial opening of Pandora's Box.

Stereo

The Second Wave

A standard and uniform technique of creating stereo was the usual bloody battle of my way is better than your way. Except for the very few who could not wait to be first on their block, most Americans waited. To their credit many manufacturer's did not get embroiled in the confusion. After the dust had settled the Stereo pram became the transition point from mono to stereo. This allowed the customer to purchase a second monaural amplifier, plug it into his stereo pppram and he or she was into stereo. Simple enough so far, you upgraded to a stereo signal source, (two channels), A new tuner (Once they started broadcasting in stereo, another battle over standards), A new stereo cartridge and wiring for stereo for your turntable, and a new reel to reel tape deck with two distinct tracks. As a side note recording studio's use up to 128 track digital recorders to produce stereo recordings, but lets not get technical just yet.

Things proceeded nicely for many years, with ever improving quality amplifier designs, the changing of the guard from tubes, to solid state, transistor driven amps. Since there were no enforceable standards lots of questionable claims as to the real power of solid state amplifiers arose. This caused the FTC, Federal Trade Commission to issue new standards as laws to regulate such claims.

New signal sources appeared. The cassette, lets not mention 8 tracks (remember those), and finally our first real mass market digital signal source, The compact disc better known now as the CD. So far so good. Here is where it starts to get a little hairy but I will give it my best shot.

Quadruphonic

Does anyone even remember quad? I do, it was a first attempt at multi channel sound systems for the home. You have to remember multi media, the merging of audio and video had not really happened. The big wigs at each manufacturer created there own standards for producing quad sound. The fight was on. No standards were established. The good sense of the American consumer kept them from embracing such lunacy. Quad died an early death and that is the last we will speak of a rather embarrassing chapter in our industry.

Surround Sound

This was first utilized in Movie Theaters successfully the theater owners saw the need for creating a method of surrounding the audience with a sound field that amazed and entertained. It consisted of six channels. A distinct front left, right, and center channel for voice location, distinct rear left and right channels, and a sub woofer output for those earth shaking bass effects. Eventually side channels were added but they played the same information from the left and the right side. This in various combinations and forms was the beginning of true multi media.

What Happened Next

The most obvious of course, people wanted those effects at home. Many variations appeared, standards were established, finally, and Home Theater, came to your living room. Now of course the industry has learned its lessons the hard way. Just like we all do, but they never quit trying to out do the competition and amaze you, their audience. This is all to our benefit. With these benefits comes confusion of course. That is why at this point in the story I suggest you talk with the knowledgeable people at the nearest authorized dealer of the product that you are interested in. We now have multiple choices in formats. From the simplest, stereo system with two channels all the way to eight channels in a full blown Home Theater System and everything in between. Likewise with signal sources and decoding the signal. Starting with True Dolby Digital Surround (AC3), THX, THX ultra certified, and there is more! Lots more we have not even touched on such as multi zone systems, these allow you to listen and watch many different signal sources in different parts of the house with complete remote control. See your closest authorized dealer and let them explain and demonstrate the benefits of the various formats to you. At a quality dealership you will get hands and ears on experience as to the benefits of each system. You will be glad to know that the manufacturers we represent all have room for expansion in their designs and most have all or several of the formats already built in. As always in this industry lots of exciting things are happening on a daily basis. So visit your nearest dealer and hear the excitement.

Thank you for your time and I hope that this shed some light on how all of this got started and where it is headed.

Jaime Wood

President of PMA

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