Getting the Best Sound from Home Audio Speakers
Unless you only listen to music through headphones, home audio speakers are a
necessary part of any sound system. Choosing good-quality speakers and placing
them appropriately in your listening area can go a long way to maximizing your
listening experience.
The most common type of home audio system is the stereo system with two
speakers. This is quickly being overtaken with surround sound audio systems
which have 5, 6, or even seven home audio speakers. In addition, many stereo
systems can be expanded with the use of a subwoofer - a third speaker designed
for reproducing low-frequency bass sounds.
What we commonly think of as a speaker is more accurately described as a speaker
system. Each enclosure may have two or three or even more speaker drivers, each
designed to reproduce a certain frequency range. Before the electrical signal
reaches the speaker drivers, home audio speakers divide the frequencies with the
use of a crossover.
The crossover is an electronic unit usually integrated into the speaker cabinet.
It analyzes the incoming signal and divides it into certain frequency ranges. It
then sends the audio signal to the various speaker drivers. Home audio speakers
usually have at least a woofer for low-frequency sounds and a tweeter for
high-frequency sounds.
Home audio speakers may have other drivers as well as the woofer and a tweeter.
A midrange speaker is commonly used - this type of speaker would be called a
three-way speaker. A two-way speaker has only a woofer and a tweeter.
The enclosures used in home audio speakers play an important part in the overall
sound. They must be rigid enough to withstand vibration from low-frequency
sounds and be the correct size to reinforce the speaker drivers. Enclosures are
often ported - which means they have an opening which effectively increases the
size of the box, which allows a bigger sound to be produced from smaller speaker
enclosures.
There is a huge variety of home audio speakers on the market today matching
virtually any budget. When you buy a set of speakers, comparison shopping is
very important. Be sure to listen to the same music through several different
sets of speakers - this will allow you to choose the speakers that please you
the most. Most speaker systems have their own “sound”, and everybody has their
own taste in what sounds good.
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