Apple Final Cut Pro 5 - Manual (Page 813)

26 Part I Media and Project Management
Amplifiers and Signal Levels
Audio speakers require signals with higher voltage than consumer and professional
equipment can provide directly. Speakers require speaker level audio signals, while
audio devices such as tape recorders and audio mixers usually provide line level signals.
An audio amplifier boosts line level signals to speaker levels to properly drive speakers.
Wide gauge speaker cables that can handle the higher electrical strength of speaker
levels are used to connect the amplifier to speakers. For more information about audio
signal levels, see “
Microphone, Instrument, and Line Level ” on page 30.
Self-Powered Versus Passive Speakers
Speakers powered by an external amplifier are called passive speakers. When you use
separate amplifiers and passive speakers, complex factors such as impedance matching
and cable length affect the overall frequency response and quality of your audio.
Instead of using a separate amplifier and speakers, a simpler option is to use self-
powered speakers (speakers with built-in amplifiers). These have become increasingly
popular, especially for studio monitoring and video editing.
Self-powered speakers deliver more consistent performance because both components
are designed to work together and are housed in a single enclosure. For video editing
systems, self-powered speakers are a good, easy-to-use solution. Self-powered speakers
accept line level inputs, so it’s fairly easy to connect them to your audio interface.
Matching Your Mixing and Screening Environments
It’s critical that you monitor your mix in an environment that closely matches the
final viewing environment. A movie destined for a theater should be mixed on an
audio system that matches the theater sound system. Likewise, a movie destined for
DVD release for home viewing should be mixed on a system that resembles a home
viewing environment.