[Hank]

In article ,
Roko wrote:

OK, since my mother tongue is not English (of any "kind", no matter what
side of any ocean from) and since I'm a noob when it comes to HiFi, help
me understand this:

Picture 1:
http://www.audio-video.com.hr/img/pr...wood/6300s.jpg - a
HiFi *receiver*? (which I referred to as a "HiFi system" in my first
post up there. (a "HiFi system" would be a receiver+speakers?))

From the looks of the picture, this appears to be what I'd call an
"integrated amplifier." That is, it has switchable inputs for several
signal sources, a volume control in a "preamplifier" section, followed
by a power amplifier. It does not, so far as I can see, have a radio
receiver section for either AM or FM. It will have a "tuner" input so
that you can connect the audio output of a separate tuner to it.

A similar box that does have a radio receiver in it in addition to the
preamplifier and power amplifier is generally termed a "receiver"

Properly used, "Stereo" refers to two-channel vs. "Monaural," or one
channel. and "Hi-Fi" is short for "high fidelity," or a (relatively)
wide audio frequency bandpass from input to output. Human hearing
runs from about 20 Hz at the low frequency end to about 20 Khz at the
high end, but a lot of "hi-fi" audio equipment, particularly in
earlier years (1935-55) had narrower bandpass. For reference, the
Disney movie "Fantasia" in 1939 specified 10 Khz (kilocycles) as the
high frequency that theatre audio had to pass to show the movie.
And, even today, low frequency cutoff can be as high as 40 or 50 Hz.
in audio equipment.

Picture 2:
http://www.quasarelectronics.com/ima...c-kit/3050.jpg - a
HiFi *amplifier*?
You say I could get one of these easily, and for a fair price? Would it
be everything I needed if I just wanted to connect passive speakers
(which I already have) to the computer?

A kit like that, you can if you want to. That is not the way I would
go for connecting computer sound outputs through an 2-channel amplifier
to a pair of loudspeakers.

What I am actually using on my computer equipment is an old used
Kenwood, marked on the front panel "Kenwood stereo integrated
amplifier KA-32B." Can't remember now when or where I got it,
probably $10 at a yard sale or pawn shop 15-20 years ago. The
speakers are ancient Technics SB-2F, very small bookshelf speakers
that fit nicely on either side of the monitor. The computer line out
jack connects to the amplifier tuner input through a 3.5 mm to 2 RCA
plug cord. The speakers were $1 at a farm auction.

You can buy new speakers with built-in amplifiers for computer sound,
but I used cheap stuff from ca. 1970 that I already had. You probably
can find similar items at yard sales, second hand stores, pawn shops
for a lot less money than buying new. And it works extremely well.

To see how this equipment is classified, you can go to the Audio
Classics (Binghamton, NY) web site:
http://www.audioclassics.com/
They sell a lot of used good equipment and some new, none of it
"cheap" (low quality for low price) or "inexpensive" (just low price).
Much of my main audio system equipment came from the a McIntosh
C-28 preamplifier and a McIntosh MC-2125 power amplifier driving
Klipsch Cornwall speakers.

Hank