System power
The total sound power provided by the audio system at maximum volume, in other words, the total power of all the speakers provided by the device (including the subwoofer).
The higher the power, the louder the system will sound and the larger the area it can cover. On the other hand,
high power significantly affects the price, dimensions, weight and power consumption of the device. In addition, when evaluating and comparing according to this indicator, it is worth considering some nuances. Firstly, some manufacturers go to the trick and give in the characteristics not the average, but the peak sound power; such numbers can be quite impressive, but they have very little to do with real loudness. So if it seems to you that the claimed power is too high, it's ok to clarify what exactly is meant in this case. Secondly, when comparing, it is worth considering the presence of a subwoofer — it plays an auxiliary role, but it can account for more than half of the total system power. Because of this, for equal total power, a device with a subwoofer may be quieter than a model without a subwoofer: for example, a 2.0 40W system will have 20W per main channel, while a 2.1 40W model may have 20W per subwoofer, and only 10 watts for the main speakers.
Power per channel
Nominal sound power (see "System power") on each of the main channels of the audio system. This indicator is most often indicated in models with a subwoofer (see "Number of channels"); knowing it, you can estimate the power distribution between the main speakers and the subwoofer.
Inputs
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RCA. The RCA interface uses coaxial cables with characteristic tulip plugs and corresponding connectors. It can be used to transmit different types of data, but in this case it is meant to connect an audio signal from a preamplifier in analog format, one audio channel per connector. RCA is widely used in modern audio equipment, but its resistance to interference is very modest.
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Mini-Jack(3.5 mm). Standard connector for most modern portable audio equipment. In audio systems, it is mainly used to connect such equipment — primarily pocket media players. It uses analog signal transmission, but its resistance to interference, like that of RCA, is low, and the quality may be even lower due to the fact that both stereo sound channels are transmitted via one cable.
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Coaxial S/P-DIF. An electrical variation of the S/P-DIF standard that uses a coaxial cable with a tulip connector to transmit the signal. This interface should not be confused with the analog RCA described above — despite the identity of the connectors, these standards are fundamentally different: “coaxial” operates in digital format and allows for the transmission of even multi-channel sound over a single cable. Compared to optical S/P-DIF, this interface is less resistant to interference, but more reliable, since the electrical cables are not as delicate.
— Optical. One of the varie
...ties of the S/P-DIF standard — along with the coaxial one described above. In this case, the signal is transmitted via a TOSLINK fiber-optic cable. The main advantage of this interface is its complete insensitivity to electrical interference, while its capabilities are sufficient even for working with multi-channel sound. Among the disadvantages, it is worth noting the high price of connecting cables, as well as the need for careful handling of them.
— For microphone. Input for connecting a microphone to an audio system; can use different types of connectors (3.5 mm mini-Jack, 6.35 mm Jack, etc.). This function is mandatory for models with karaoke (see "Additional"), but can also be used for other purposes.
— Instrumental. Connectors used to connect musical instruments (acoustic or bass guitars, keyboards, etc.). Most often, they are made in the form of 6.35 mm Jack sockets. The audio signal from the pickups has its own specifics, so the instrument input is usually characterized by a higher input signal level and special impedance matching to ensure optimal sound quality.
