So, you’ve made the decision to purchase new speakers. Perhaps you have bought a music system and the ones supplied aren’t cutting it. Or, possibly you are looking at buying a whole audio and visual system for your home.
When it comes to building a great home entertainment system, one of the most critical points of it will be the audio. This consists of many parts and can include amplifiers or active speakers, soundbars, and of course, the speakers themselves.
A great audio system can be let down by having poor quality speakers, just as great speakers can not realize their potential because of other issues.
There are some considerations when choosing new speakers, and if you want to make the right purchase, you may want to read on.
Set your budget appropriately
The cost of speakers differs wildly. You could easily pick up some cheap USB-powered speakers for your laptop for $10 or even less. Alternatively, you could spend a million dollars on the limited edition top-of-the-range, Moon Audio Opulence.
One issue you may have asked yourself is, can you be an audiophile on a budget? Well, yes you can, but you will need to set that budget appropriately.
If you feel that you cannot get the sound quality for speakers that are within your budget, perhaps you are better to wait. Buying speakers that do not meet your requirements will lead to disappointment.
However, if you are ready to make a purchase, then look to get the best quality you can for your money.
Search for brand names
Using your budget to get little-known name brands could lead to disappointment. The biggest brand names dominate the market due to decades of experience.
Marketing91 puts Harmann International, Bose, and Sennheiser, in first, second, and third place, respectively when it comes to the biggest speaker manufacturers in the world today.
If you are looking at emerging speaker manufacturers, do some research. Check reviews and comparisons against better-known brands.
Choose the right supplier
There are many online audio equipment suppliers now. These can often be cheaper than visiting a retailer in a mall or a town center. This is because they have fewer overheads.
This could lead to you finding better quality speakers for a lower price than a traditional retail store. You may also find online audiophile stores such as SoundImports can impart technical advice which includes purchasing and building speakers.
Look at your room and make an assessment
The size of your room and its acoustics will affect how good the sound quality is from your new speakers. It will also affect what type and size of speaker you buy.
If you have a small room then look for speakers that fit accordingly. Perhaps you can only handle bookshelf-type speakers, so stop looking at those huge tower ones.
Soft furnishings and hard surfaces can affect sounds too. Remember the different parts and types of speakers all have a purpose. Tweeters are for higher-pitched sounds. So, a speaker with tweeter will help with female vocals and electric guitars. A subwoofer is for low frequency.
Consider your room and its acoustics when choosing what speakers to install.
What type of speaker do you need?
Consider your requirements and then look for the speakers that will best match them. Think about the music that you like to listen to and whether the speakers you are looking at will produce the best results possible.
Movies will benefit from subwoofers, but acoustic music will gain no advantage from these types of speakers.
Should you go wired or wireless?
Wireless options are all the rage now. Home offices use wireless keyboards and mice. Computers have been connecting wirelessly to the internet for years. Security systems and even multi-cookers have wireless capacity these days.
Stereo systems are no different, but how does wired or wireless technology affect the sound quality?
Which magazine asked the question if wired or wireless is best, and they determined that it is down to your budget. With WiFi and Bluetooth technology advancing, lower-end wireless speakers work perfectly well. If you want to pay out for $50,000 wired speakers then you will hear a difference.
However, one thing to consider is that there could be interference and drop-out over a Bluetooth or wireless connection at times.
Match your components to your speakers
One other area to consider is to match your speakers with your components. You may prefer to have passive speakers but purchasing active ones means some of the work here has been done for you.
Active speakers will come with an amplifier installed meaning that there is one less component for you to worry about.
Which components make up your stereo system will affect just how good the sound is that comes out of your speakers.
Summary
The joy you will have once your new speakers are set up will be far greater if you take some steps to make sure your purchase was the right one.
Setting a budget, considering your options, taking advice, and choosing the best supplier, will mean you have a good chance of picking the right speakers.
