How To Save Your Voice & Help Kids Learn

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How Wireless Assistive Listening Systems Benefit Kids & Teachers It seems obvious: kids learn better when they can hear their lessons. Classroom PA systems are a great way to overcome acoustical challenges for students with unimpaired hearing. But how can you improve the classroom experience for students with mild hearing impairment? Good educational practices- not to mention ADA requirements –… Read the rest

Need Help Choosing a Back-To-School Sound System?

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6 Questions to Help You Choose a Portable Sound System for Your Classroom A portable classroom PA system is an affordable, easy-to-use system that allows teachers to amplify their lessons. Why do you need a PA system for your classroom? The answer is simple: the proper sound reinforcement system allows  a teacher’s voice to reach all corners of the class,… Read the rest

Jackboxes Turn Media Players into Classroom Listening Centers

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How to choose a jackbox for your classroom listening center Classroom listening centers enhance visual lessons with audio. Listening centers (or learning centers) consist of three components: a media player, headphones, and a hub to distribute audio signals to multiple listeners. Although wireless transmitters or outputs on the media player itself often suffice for a hub, an easy way to… Read the rest

Classroom Learning Centers Use Sound To Enhance Learning

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6 Features to Consider When Purchasing A Classroom Learning Center From pre-K through adult education or even for home schooling, many students find learning enhanced by listening rather than looking. That’s why learning centers, which use sound to help you teach, are standard classroom AV equipment. Learning centers not only reinforce and enhance visual learning, but also help students with… Read the rest

Are Loud Media Players Causing Noise Induced Hearing Loss in Teens?

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Study: Cranked Earbuds Contribute to Spike in Teen Hearing Loss For today’s teens, dangling earbuds are as ubiquitous as facial jewelry. But a recent study shows that unlike adornments, they could be far from harmless. An article in the August 18, 2010 issue of JAMA concludes that one in five American adolescents experienced hearing loss from 2005-2006. What’s more, this… Read the rest

Instrument Cables, Speaker Cables: What’s the Difference?

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Why All Cords Aren’t Created Equal Consider the common cable: Two plugs, 1/4 inch or 1/8 inch, with a few feet of cable in between. That’s all there is to it, right? Wrong! Using the right cable at the right time can mean the difference between a crystal clear tone and a humming mess. In extreme cases, the incorrect cable… Read the rest

Mike vs. Mic: Which Abbreviation is Correct?

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It’s a familiar dilemma to those of us who write about audio: What’s the abbreviation for microphone, “mike” or “mic”? For years (since roughly 1961, in fact), the former abbreviation – “mic” – has been the preferred choice of the pro audio industry. This does lead to problems, however. When you place a “mic” in front of an amp, is… Read the rest

Obama Upgrades ADA On Its 20th Birthday

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A South Lawn Celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act July 26, 2010 marks an important step in the journey to full equality for all Americans: the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). President Obama celebrated this milestone last Monday with a high-spirited summer gathering on the South Lawn of the White House, which… Read the rest

Which Loudspeaker Should You Use With Your Amplifier?

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Close-up of power amplifier inside rehearsal roomMatch Amps to Speakers Without Driving Yourself Crazy Matching a loudspeaker to an amplifier is a seemingly arcane process, full of exceptions and confusing “rules-of-thumb” bandied about by quasi-mystic front-of-house engineers and MacGyver-like technicians (gaffer’s tape clutched firmly in hand). For those of us who just want to hook up a simple PA system for our band’s vocalist, or who… Read the rest

Able Planet Headphones: True Fidelity, Truly Affordable

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Able Planet Headphones Squash Background Noise But Not Your Cash Flow Able Planet has come a long way from their beginnings as a manufacturer of assistive listening technologies for the hearing impaired. With their extensive line of affordable, high-quality headphones, Able Planet is poised to take on pricier competitors & establish their brand as a top-shelf choice for gamers and… Read the rest